Healing
by phlawere
Summary: When Kikyo dies, how will Kagome help Inuyasha with his grief? Rated M for fruit. Don't read if you can't handle lemons, limes, strawberries, kiwi...whatever. You've been warned.
1. Helping Inuyasha

OK guys. This is my first attempt at...uh...this. As I said in the summary, there's a lot of fruit, a whole salad, pretty much, so you've been warned. Don't read the story if you can't handle it. (But I don't think it's that...bad.) There's more plot, but I want to see if anybody's interested in the story first. Ok, well, read on...

* * *

Kagome walks with her head down, staring at the grass as she heads for the Bone-Eater's Well. _I've already said goodbye to everyone except...he probably doesn't want to see me right now, anyway. _

As Kagome gets closer to the well, she suddenly stops. A rather large beetle, stuck on it's back, is in her path. Kagome sneers at the bug. _Ewww..._ As she watches it's legs futilely claw the air, her heart softens. _Stupid bug..._, she thinks, reaching down and flipping it over. The beetle shows its thanks by grabbing one of her fingers with its pincers. "Oww!" she yells, yanking her hand away and stomping the ground to scare the beetle off. _That's what I get for being nice._ Kagome looks at her injured finger. There's a small cut, and the finger will bruise some over the next day or so, but it should be fine within a week. _Nothing I'm not used to by now. _Kagome sighs, sticks her sore finger in her mouth, and continues to the well.

When she arrives, Kagome removes her pack and sets it on the edge of the well, taking one more look around before preparing to jump in.

"Leaving without saying goodbye?" a slightly annoyed voice says behind her.

Kagome turns to the tree directly behind her, against which a certain hanyou is leaning, having just jumped down from one of the branches. He starts to walk towards her.

Kagome stares. Those are the first words Inuyasha has spoken in days. "I...," she blushes a little, "...couldn't find you anywhere. Besides, it's only for a couple of days; I thought you could use the time alone..." Kagome trails off and looks away from Inuyasha, leaving her last words unsaid. _...away from me..._

Inuyasha watches Kagome, waiting until she turns back to him before snorting, "I'm okay. You don't..."

Kagome interrupts him. "Don't you dare do that Inuyasha!" she says, angrily. Inuyasha stares at her with surprise. "Don't you tell everyone that you're okay when it's obvious that you're not! You just lost someone that you lo...love. You need time to grieve. We all understand that," she finishes, her voice much gentler now.

Inuyasha blushes, then turns away from her and crosses his arms, huffing in the process. Kagome looks at him sadly. "I'll be back in 3 days," she says, before grabbing her pack and jumping in the well. Inuyasha waits until the blue light fades before sitting on the edge, burying his face in his hands.

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"Mom, I have to do this--for Inuyasha," Kagome says, while watching her mother's face. Amorume is not in the least bit happy with what her daughter has just told her.

"But, honey," Amorume pleads, "isn't there...some...other way...you can help..." she trails off, staring at the kitchen ceiling.

"No, mom. You know Inuyasha won't talk to anyone. And I know my plan will work...," Kagome says, grabbing her mother's hand.

"But honey, what you want to do...it's...are you sure you've thought this through?" Amorume asks, squeezing her daughter's hand and pleading again with her eyes.

Kagome gives her mom a slight smile. "Everything will be fine, mom, I promise." Amorume looks at her skeptically. "I know what I'm doing. Dad had almost the same problem and you helped him."

"But, Kagome, that was different...we...we..." Amorume stops as she realizes the similarities between her and her daughter's situation. "We were older, dear, we..."

"Not by much, mom. Besides...," Kagome grasps her mother's other hand and looks at her seriously, "...Inuyasha needs this from me. I'm the only one who can help him with this."

Amorume stares at her daughter for a minute before sighing and nodding her head. "I guess I can't stop you. But please, be careful, Kagome."

Kagome gently squeezes her mother's hands again. "I will mom."

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"Where's Kagome? Isn't she supposed to be back by now?" Shippo asks, as he nibbles on his fish.

"Yes. She said she'd be back by this morning, but it's almost sundown and we haven't seen any sign of her," Sango says, as she hands Kilala a piece of their dinner. "She's ok, right Miroku?"

"I'm sure she is. Kagome's probably just running late, like she normally is when she goes home," Miroku answers. "Inuyasha will likely go after her, if he hasn't already," the monk states, while staring in the direction of the Bone-Eater's Well. He sees a flash of red and smiles to himself.

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_Where is that girl? She's never comes back when she says she's gonna!_ Inuyasha says to himself as he travels to Kagome's time. _I'm gonna give her..._

Inuyasha stops outside the well-house as he sees Sota playing with a black and white ball, kicking it, then running after it. He can see Kagome's mom and Gramps closing the doors on their motor-car thing, as Amorume yells at Sota that it's time to go. Sota sees Inuyasha, yelling to his mom that he wants to say "bye" first.

"Hey, Inuyasha! How's everything?" Sota asks, walking up to the tall hanyou.

Inuyasha shrugs. "Fine, kid. Where're you off to? And where's your sister?" Inuyasha asks.

"Me, mom, and gramps are going to visit my aunt--mom's sister--for the weekend. Kagome won't go because..." Sota leans closer to Inuyasha and waves his hand to get him to bend down, "...I think she was cursed or something. Ever since she came back a few days ago, she's not been herself. She backtalks to mom, ignores Gramps unless she's making fun of his magic, is wearing weird clothes, and acts like she doesn't care about anything anymore. It's like she's the complete opposite of the real Kagome."

Inuyasha looks at Sota, alarmed. _She WAS bitten by something before she came back.._..

Inuyasha glances up at Kagome's window, where he sees the girl leaning on the windowsill, wearing a rather revealing top, way too much makeup, with her hair in a ponytail high on her head, and a cigarette in her mouth. He stares. As Inuyasha watches, Kagome takes a drag off the cigarette, blows out the smoke, then flicks it at Sota and Inuyasha. Kagome laughs as she watches them duck to avoid the butt, then turns and walks away from the window.

"See?" Sota asks, as his mom yells that they're ready to go. Sota picks up his ball and runs to the car, waving at Inuyasha as he goes. "Take care of her, Inuyasha!" he yells.

Inuyasha nods at the boy, trying to figure out what sort of demon could have done this. As he watches Sota get in the car, he catches Amorume's eye. Where normally Kagome's mom would smile and wave at him, tonight she seems...distant. The woman simply stares at him, eventually making Inuyasha fidget in place before she gets in the car. _What was that about?_ Inuyasha wonders as the car drives off and he jumps to the windowsill of Kagome's room.

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As Inuyasha pushes the curtains aside to step into Kagome's bedroom, the sight that awaits him makes Inuyasha fall flat on his face. Kagome is standing on the far side of the room, in nothing but her underwear, her back to him. As Inuyasha lifts his head off the floor, cheeks burning madly, Kagome turns around, revealing even more of herself to the extremely shocked hanyou.

Inuyasha gapes at her. Kagome sees Inuyasha lying on the floor and smirks. "What?"

Inuyasha flushes deeper and sits up, his back to the wall under the window, and closes his eyes.

"Why are you blushing Inuyasha? You've seen me naked before," Kagome says as she turns and pulls a tank top out of her closet and slips it over her head before walking toward him.

Inuyasha risks opening one eye to see if Kagome's covered yet, and sees that she's now kneeling in front of him, a devilish grin on her face. He opens his other eye and tries not to stare at Kagome's black lacy underwear. He fails.

Kagome grins wider. She puts one finger in the waistband and draws it around her stomach, snapping the elastic when she removes her finger.

Inuyasha jumps at the sound and looks up at Kagome's face. _What...is going on??_

Kagome is still grinning. Keeping eye contact with Inuyasha, Kagome puts her hands and knees on the floor and crawls between Inuyasha's legs and into his lap, sitting with her legs straddling his hips and her arms around his neck. "H...e...l...l...o...," she says, breathing heavily before kissing him.

Inuyasha doesn't know what to do. He's definitely enjoying the kiss, but..._Should I kiss her back? NO! If she's being controlled by something, I need to find out what it is before things really get out of hand..._ Inuyasha's thoughts are interrupted as Kagome sticks her tongue in his mouth, tired of having him just sit there.

As Kagome's tongue makes contact with his, Inuyasha feels his heart rate pick up speed. A moan makes an attempt to escape his throat before he squashes it. But Kagome's already heard.

She smiles as she pulls away from Inuyasha, nibbling his bottom lip on the way. Inuyasha opens his eyes as she leaves, not having realized that he closed them, or that his hands are now wrapped around her hips. His breathing is heavy as he asks, "Wh...what are you doing, Kagome?"

Kagome puts her hands inside his hoari as she kisses him again, pushing the clothing off his shoulders. He doesn't protest as she removes his hands from her hips, removing the hoari and tossing it to the side before going for his kosode. When her hands touch his chest, Inuyasha groans again. Kagome leans back, smiling, and looks down at his hakamas.

"My, aren't we in a good mood," she murmurs as she leans in to kiss him again.

That got Inuyasha's attention. He grabs her shoulders and pushes Kagome back until they're both sitting cross-legged. He shakes his head as if to clear it before speaking. "Kagome, what bit you the other day? I think it's the reason you're acting this way."

Kagome grins evilly before saying "Sit," in a very calm voice.

Inuyasha's eyes go wide before he's slammed back onto the floor by the Beads of Subjugation.

While he's incapacitated, Kagome finishes removing his hakamas and kosode, along with Tetsusaiga, and places them on the floor. As he starts get his bearings again, Kagome stands up and removes her tank top and underwear, then sits down on his hips.

Inuyasha is frightened out of his mind. _Oh...Kami...this is not happening..._He grabs Kagome's hips, which turns out to be the wrong move, as the pressure he puts on her hips pushes her further down on him. He groans, squeezing her hips in the process.

Kagome growls in response to the pain. "Watch it there, Inuyasha. Don't hurt the goods before you get a taste of them."

Inuyasha stares at her like she's just transformed into a female Miroku. He removes his hands and puts them on the floor in an attempt to get up.

"Uh-uh," Kagome says, twisting the beads around his neck.

Inuyasha freezes where he is, scrutinizing her face to see if she'd actually "sit" him again. A fiery glint catches his attention. He swallows. "Kagome, we're not..."

"Oh, yes we are," she says, pushing Inuyasha back to the floor. She grabs his hands and places them on her chest, intertwining her fingers with his while massaging her breasts. Inuyasha groans and shifts underneath her. She gasps as she feels him move. Removing her hands, she places one behind his neck, pulling him up to her level, and places the other between them, wrapping her fingers around him. Inuyasha gasps, then growls, the pressure on her breasts increasing. He kisses her deeply, then moves to her neck and shoulders as Kagome strokes him.

Moving his hands to her back, Inuyasha kisses Kagome's breasts, taking first one, then the other, then both. He moans, then grabs Kagome around the waist and rolls them over so that he's on top, his silver hair forming a tent around their shoulders. Hovering above her, Inuyasha hesitates, a question in his amber eyes. Kagome smiles as she places her free hand behind his neck and uses her other hand to guide him to her.

As Inuyasha enters Kagome, they both gasp, their breathing getting heavier. Kagome wraps her legs around his waist, pulling him deeper, and making the hanyou growl. Pulling Inuyasha into a kiss, Kagome arches her back, pushing herself against him.

Inuyasha moans loudly and pulls Kagome up off the floor, so that she's sitting on his hips, and grabs her buttocks. Kagome breaks off the kiss and wraps her arms around his head, putting her breasts within the range of his lips. Inuyasha doesn't need any encouragement. As he kisses her breasts, Kagome growls and squeezes her pelvic muscles.

Inuyasha also starts to growl as he pulls away from Kagome's chest. Eyes flashing in the dark bedroom, he quickly stands and pushes Kagome up against one wall, holding her hips against his. Kagome lets out a low squeal and digs her nails into his shoulders. Still growling, Inuyasha thrusts upward, and Kagome moans, squeezing her legs tighter around him.

As they both start to pant, Inuyasha turns and lays Kagome down on her bed. Before he can do anything, an evil glint comes into Kagome's eyes. Inuyasha freezes. _Uh-... _"Sit," she says, very quietly.

They both cry out as the beads force Inuyasha even further into Kagome. It takes all of his strength not to come inside her right then. He lays on top of her, his panting echoing hers. When at last he has the strength to sit back up, Inuyasha looks at Kagome's face, which has a huge grin. Glaring at her, he growls, "Don't do that again." She pouts, sticking out her bottom lip, to which Inuyasha smiles. "Now, where were we?" he asks, as he starts thrusting.

Kagome's eyes flash with desire, and she places her hands on his cheeks as he brings his elbows down on either side of her. She kisses him gently, caressing his lips and tongue with hers, and feels his breathing getting faster. She rocks her hips in time with his, their speed increasing.

Kagome's own breathing gets harder, and she stops kissing Inuyasha so she can focus on the increasing tightness in her abdomen. Locking her gaze with his, Kagome moans, to which Inuyasha responds with his own, while thrusting harder. The pressure inside her is building, to the point where she thinks she will scream. She tightens her legs around Inuyasha, and digs her nails into his shoulders, leaving little crescents in his skin.

Just when Kagome thinks she can't stand it anymore, when she's hovering on the edge of a great cliff, she quietly says Inuyasha's name. _Inuyasha..._

She feels Inuyasha constrict and pulse within her, pushing her over the edge. She screams, and hears her name in Inuyasha's voice while she arches her back. Inuyasha buries his face in her chest, mumbling her name over and over while he continues to thrust. When at last he's spent, and collapses on top of her, both of them sweating and breathing heavily, Kagome hugs Inuyasha tightly to her chest and brushes her hands through his hair. Inuyasha wraps his arms around Kagome and cries quietly, tears running down his cheeks, down her arms, to land softly on the bed.

* * *

What did everyone think? It wasn't that bad, was it? If I keep the story going, there's probably gonna be more scenes like the last one. Please review so I know if I should keep it going! 


	2. Telling Why

Here is Ch. 2 guys. There's not really any fruit in it. Well...actually...I don't know! Anyway, this chap is to move the story along. (And there is a plot.) Let me know if my logic makes any sense, or if I'm just completely...well, out of it. I tried to explain the questions people asked. OK, well-enjoy! Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, blah, blah...

* * *

Kagome is leaning against her windowframe, smoking another cigarette, watching the twinkling lights of downtown Tokyo. She takes one last drag before flipping the butt out her window, blowing the smoke she's held in her lungs after it. _Kami, I hate those things..._

Kagome grabs a few tic-tacs from the container on her desk and pops them into her mouth, then crosses her arms over her bare breasts, blocking them from the cool night air. She's put on her black underwear for the moment, but nothing else.

_Three times..._

Kagome glances at her alarm clock sitting on the table beside her bed. _12:45..._ _It's still early morning and Inuyasha and I've...been...together three times..._

She shifts her focus to the hanyou, who is laying face-down on her bed--naked--his silver hair spilling across his shoulders and down his back.

_Oh, Kami...he's still the most gorgeous creature I've ever seen..._ Kagome thinks, staring at the boy on her bed.

Inuyasha is hugging Kagome's pillow, watching her with deep amber eyes. He had protesed when Kagome tried to rouse him the second time. She had to use the "sit" command on him--twice--before Inuyasha got the point. He had apparently decided that Kagome was gonna have him no matter what he did, and hadn't argued about it since.

Breaking eye contact, Kagome walks over to the bed and sits on Inuyasha's buttocks, straddling his hips. He doesn't move anything but his eyes, which he closes. Kagome leans forward, laying down along his back, and wraps her arms around his chest. She snuggles her face between his shoulder and head, and begins kissing his neck.

Inuyasha growls low in his throat as Kagome heads toward his Adam's apple. He turns slightly to allow her access. _She's gonna kill me..._ Kagome stops on the side of his neck, in the indentation that his collar bone makes, and begins sucking on the soft skin there. Inuyasha groans.

"Kagome, you are not gonna give me one of those hickey-things," he says while taking a breath.

Kagome shifts upwards, moving her lips to his. She kisses him deeply, taking his tongue in her mouth and sucking on it, then offering him hers. Inuyasha takes it willingly, rolling the rest of the way over, so that he's on his back, his hands resting on her behind.

Pulling away, Kagome nibbles on his bottom lip, giggling when Inuyasha tightens his grip on her butt. He opens his eyes to see Kagome has crossed her arms, resting them on his chest, and has her head on her arms, watching him. Inuyasha stares back, frowning slightly. _Now what?_

Kagome continues to simply stare at the hanyou for several minutes. Inuyasha blushes and looks over her head, watching Kagome's feet swing back and forth above them. He sees her smile and meets her eyes. "What?" he asks.

"Nothing. You're just adorable, that's all," she replies, making Inuyasha blush again. _I've wanted to tell him that for a long time..._ Kagome thinks, continuing to smile. She inhales deeply then lifts her head and buries her face in Inuyasha's chest, closing her eyes. Kagome uncrosses her arms, putting her hands underneath his shoulder blades, and simply lays there, breathing in Inuyasha's scent.

After a minute, Inuyasha moves his hands up to Kagome's back and gently lets his hands run down her spine. She shivers.

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_What am I doing?!_ Inuyasha thinks as he shifts his gaze from Kagome's back to the top of her head, inches from his face. He watches as his steady breathing lifts her--up, down, up... he frowns slightly. _Or...what is she doing?_

Inuyasha lets his mind wander, while still stroking Kagome's back. He hadn't really had time to think about any of this until now...

_So...she got bit by that bug... and Sota thinks Kagome's been cursed because she's acting all different. But, other than being extremely domineering..._

Inuyasha blushes, remembering how forceful Kagome had been.

_And I thought I was the bossy one...other than that, and the smoking...Kagome's personality hasn't really changed all that much... _

Removing one hand from Kagome's back, Inuyasha puts it behind his head. The girl doesn't move. She seems to be preoccupied at the moment. Inuyasha smiles at the miko lying on his chest.

_She's been sweet...gentle...like I thought she would be when... _

The hanyou blushes deeply as he realizes that he'd thought about doing this with Kagome before.

_Oh...Kami...if she ever finds that out..._

The hanyou frowns slightly, his mind working to make sense of the girl's conflicting behavior.

_So...if Kagome's not actually acting any different, then...then...the bug was just a bug. And that means that..Kagome's not actually cursed... and...so...she's... Kagome's doing this on purpose?!?! _

Inuyasha's mouth opens in shock as he stares at the girl.

_But...but...why!? This isn't like her at all! She wouldn't have wanted our first time..._

The hanyou closes his mouth and scowls, his cheeks reddening again.

_Damn it! And tonight is definitely not going to help with that..._

Inuyasha takes a deep breath, making his chest rise moreso than normal. As Kagome raises her head, Inuyasha freezes, hoping she hadn't noticed his attempted sigh. Kagome looks up at him and smiles, then tilts her head and lays it back down, facing the far wall, tightening her arms around him.

The hanyou waits a few seconds before letting his breath out slowly, trying to get back in a normal rhythmn. He had stopped stroking her back when Kagome had lifted her head, so Inuyasha resumes the action, pressing a little harder, massaging more than simply caressing her skin. He hears a low growl from the girl's throat, which makes Inuyasha smile.

_See? This is how it should have been from the beginning! Why would Kagome force this? I know she wasn't ready...and I'm not over..._ Inuyasha gapes.

_Kikyo...I just lost Kikyo...and... after the first time..._

Inuyasha's cheeks burn, remembering when he cried after his and the girl's first time together.

_I...cried. And Kagome didn't comment. Like she knew...knew that it was gonna happen. She just held me--running her hands through my hair..._

Inuyasha lets a low growl escape his throat, his hand tightening on Kagome's arm, where he had let it stop. Kagome lifts herself up and looks at Inuyasha's face. "Uh-," she starts to say.

"-oh," the hanyou finishes, while grabbing her other arm and pulling Kagome up, so that they're nose-to-nose. "Start talking."

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"Kagome," Inuyasha says, exasperated. He's sitting in the edge of the bed, feet touching the floor, elbows on his knees, holding his head in his hands. Kagome is sitting beside him, her back to the wall, knees drawn up, her arms wrapped around them. She's staring at Inuyasha's back, her eyes glazed. Neither of them had bothered to put clothing on--it seemed futile at the moment.

"Are...are you mad?" Kagome asks tentatively.

Inuyasha sighs and presses his thumbpads into his eyes. "So, let me get this straight," he starts. "I've been depressed becasue Kikyo died, and because I haven't talked to anyone...,"

"...or yelled, or cried, or...anything...," Kagmoe interrupts, her forehead now resting on her knees.

Inuyasha turns around and looks at her, his face slightly angry. He takes a deep breath before continuing. "So, because you thought I've been depressed..."

Kagome jerks her head up. "I _thought_ you were depressed?" she says, almost yelling, her voice getting higher in pitch. "Inuyasha, you were depressed! You hadn't talked for days. _Days!_ You weren't eating or sleeping...once we got back to Kaede's, no one saw you for more than a few seconds at a time until I said goodbye the other day." Kagome puts her head back on her knees. "Don't try to tell me that you weren't depressed. How could you not be? You were in love with Kikyo," Kagome finishes quietly.

Inuyasha watches the girl sitting next to him. She's taking deep, calming breaths, her dark hair spilling over her shoulders and down her knees. She's trembling.

Inuyasha sighs and pulls his legs onto the bed. He wraps his arm around Kagome's waist and slides her over to him, so that she's sitting in between his legs, her knees still drawn up, her head down. Inuyasha crosses his ankles so that his legs resemble a loose Indian-style sit, with Kagome in the middle. The hanyou wraps his arms around the girl, including her legs, and intertwines his fingers with Kagome's, their hands resting on her knees. Inuyasha rests his forehead on the back of Kagome's neck, breathing in deeply. "I would've been ok," he mumbles into her skin, causing the hairs on the back of her neck to rise.

Kagome waits a few seconds before responding. "No, you wouldn't have." She lifts her head and turns it, so she and the hanyou are inches apart. Inuyasha lifts his head so that he's staring into Kagome's eyes. "You can't keep those kinds of...of feelings bottled up. It'll only make things worse." Kagome stares into Inuyasha's eyes, pleading for him to understand. "You _have_ to let them out. By...yelling...or crying...talking..._some_ way. But don't try to keep them inside--they'll eat you alive..." She trails off, worry in her brown eyes.

Inuyasha lays his head on Kagome's shoulder and kisses it lightly. She quietly gasps, but doesn't move. "And that's why...you did this? To get me to...to...let out my feelings?" he says. Even though his head is down, Kagome can tell Inuyasha is sneering as he says the words.

"Well, when you say it that way...it sounds really dumb...and...and bad_,"_ Kagome mutters into his hair. "But it worked for my dad." Inuyasha lifts his head and looks at her.

"Just before mom and dad got married, he lost both of his parents in a plane crash. A plane is that big metal thing with wings that you see in the sky sometimes," Kagome explains, seeing confusion in the hanyou's eyes. He nods once.

"Anyway, dad went into this...deep depression...and no one--not even mom--could bring him out of it. When dad said he thought they should call off the wedding, mom finally snapped." Kagome giggles. "She dragged him into her house and up to her room, and, uh...gave him his wedding present early." Kagome sees the corners of Inuyasha's mouth twitch as he tries not to smile. Kagome grins.

"He felt better the next day. Mom said it was because he had an "emotional experience," which somehow helped him to talk to her. Within a few days, he was acting more like himself. A few weeks later, mom and dad got married like they were supposed to, and, uh, I came along about 9 months later...," Kagome says, looking down at the bed as her cheeks redden. Inuyasha gazes at the girl sitting before him, wrapped in his arms.

_Well, I...do...feel somewhat better...and not because of what we...because I cried earlier...because Kagome...let...me...helped me to..._ he thinks, blushing to himself as he admits to breaking down after their first time.

Kagome leans forward and rests her head on Inuyasha's arm, closing her eyes. Inuyasha raises up and places his chin on her shoulder, his forehead touching her cheek. "Kagome?" he asks quietly.

"Hmmm?" she says, tilting her head slightly so that she can kiss his brow. Inuyasha closes his eyes before speaking.

"You...you'd do any...anything...for me--wouldn't you?" he says, almost whispering.

Inuyasha lifts his head and opens his eyes when Kagome doesn't respond. She's watching him, her chocolate gaze reflecting the moon outside her window. She leans toward Inuyasha, closing the inches-wide gap between them. "Yes...," she murmurs, before caressing his lips with hers.

Minutes later they break the passionate kiss, staring into each others' eyes. Inuyasha lays back on the bed, taking Kagome with him. "Thank-you," he whispers, kissing her again.

* * *

Everybody understand? Or did I just make stuff more confusing? Anyways, let me know if I should keep the story going. It could end here and be ok, but I do still have the plotline that I thought of. So...ok, well...um...that's all! 


	3. Making Memories

Here is chap 3, everybody! This took forever and I don't know why... Anyway, hope you all like it. :) Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. Sad.

* * *

Inuyasha is lying on his side--Kagome in front of him, perfectly conforming to his body, his arms wrapped around her stomach and shoulders. Both of them have their eyes closed. Kagome moans softly as Inuyasha slowly thrusts from behind her. "Mmmmm..." 

Inuyasha opens his eyes before kissing her neck. This was more for Kagome than for himself--him pressing against her..._what was is? some kind of spot?..._ The half-demon frowns, trying to remember, but gives up after a few minutes. _Well, it's working...Kagome's relaxed and...happy, _Inuyasha thinks, smiling to himself as he bends his head to nibble on her ear.

Kagome moans again. "Mmmm...Inuyasha," she murmurs, tightening her grip on his forearm.

The hanyou growls, moving one hand from her waist to her hips, holding her against his own. He thrusts again-- harder this time. Kagome gasps, squirming slightly in his arms, her breath coming in gasps. Inuyasha grins, pulling his legs up behind hers, until it looks as if she's sitting in his lap--even though they're lying down. His arm is still across her hips, holding her in place. He drives against her again, breathing softly in her ear. Kagome growls, digging her nails into his arm, grinding her buttocks against his hips, breathing heavily.

Smiling again, Inuyasha kisses the girl's jawline to get her to face him. Kagome slowly opens her eyes, intense desire showing in them. The half-demon knows a similar emotion can be seen in his. "One more time?" he asks softly, leaning down to kiss her. Kagome moans as his lips touch hers, and Inuyasha takes this as a "yes," thrusting again.

The girl growls as she peaks, breaking the kiss, turning her head and leaning it back against Inuyasha's shoulder. Her whole body tenses as the excitement floods through her, making Kagome grind even deeper against him as she arches her back. Inuyasha holds her tighter, not letting Kagome escape from the sensation.

Kagome moans again as the throbbing slowly subsides, breathing deeply and kissing Inuyasha's arm. He smiles. "Good?"

The girl turns her head to look the hanyou in the eye, raising one of her eyebrows at him. "What do _you_ think?"

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Inuyasha is sitting in Kagome's desk chair, leaning back as he pushes his feet against the windowsill. He has one of her cigarettes in his hand. "Why did you think you could fool me with one of these?" he asks, setting the stick back on the desk and turning to look at her.

Kagome rolls off the bed and walks over to him, pressing the chair down so she can sit on his lap, facing him. Once she's settled, Inuyasha puts his feet back up and pushes the chair off the floor again. Kagome leans forward and wraps her arms around his neck.

"It was all part of my plan," she says, twirling her fingers through his bangs.

Inuyasha raises an eyebrow at her. "What was the rest of this "plan"?" he asks, caressing her back.

Kagome sighs, burying her head in his neck as she runs her fingers through his long hair. "Well--you were never supposed to find out that I wasn't cursed, for one thing." She giggles. "I shouldn't have let you rest."

Inuyasha growls lightly. "Okay. And then what? If I hadn't found out, was I just never supposed to mention tonight?"

"Yes," Kagome says bluntly. Inuyasha grabs her arms and lifts her up to face him.

"What?!" he asks, voice bordering on hysterical. "How was I not gonna mention tonight? _Why_ wouldn't I mention it? Especially if...," the half-demon trails off as a long overdue thought occurs to him. His face pales. "Kag..."

The young miko interrrupts, seeing something akin to fear flash in his eyes. Anticipating his question, she says, "Wait. I'll explain if you give me a minute." Inuyasha nods once, barely keeping his hands from shaking. Kagome removes them from her arms and twines her fingers with his. "First, what you're wondering isn't going to happen--mom and I've taken...several measures to make sure...,"

Now it's Inuyasha's turn to interrupt. "Wait a second. Did you just say your _mom_?!" he asks, almost yelling-- staring at her with wide eyes as he drops the chair to the floor.

"Um...yes...," Kagome answers, looking down at their hands and blushing. Inuyasha is so stunned that he can't respond, so he just continues to stare. "She...had...to help me get some of the...um, stuff...to prevent...you know...," she says vaguely, preferring not to go into specifics. She doubted Inuyasha wanted to hear them either.

Inuyasha removes his hands from hers and pulls Kagome into a hug, resting his head between her breasts. _Oh...my..._ "That's why she gave me that look," he mumbles, closing his eyes.

"What look?" the miko asks, putting her hands on top of his head.

Inuyasha sighs. "Last night, before Sota, your Gramps, and Amorume left, I saw her getting in the car-thing. Normally she will smile and wave to me, but last night...she just...stared--almost glared at me. And her mouth didn't move at all. No wonder--she knew what I was gonna do to you before I did." He sighs again. "She must hate me now..."

"Mom doesn't hate you. And you didn't _do_ anything to me--I asked for it. Wait, that didn't come out right," Kagome says, frowning. Inuyasha looks up at her with an amused expression.

"I know what you meant," he says, bringing Kagome closer to caress her lips. She smiles, gently biting his lower one. After a minute, Inuyasha breaks the kiss, staring up at the ceiling, a sad expression in his eyes.

"She doesn't hate you, Inuyasha. She loves you," Kagome says quietly, reaching behind his head to rub his ears.

Inuyasha looks back at her, a slight scowl on his face. He relaxes after a few seconds, actually enjoying having his ears touched. Inuyasha closes his eyes. "And why would she love me?" he asks, his voice cracking in spite of the miko's soothing touch. _Only two people have ever loved me...and they're both gone..._

Kagome hesitates before answering. _He might as well know... _"Because...because...I...love...you, Inuyasha," she whispers, dropping her hands into her lap and staring at them, a slight blush coming onto her cheeks.

The hanyou slowly opens his eyes, gazing at the girl sitting in his lap, staring down at her hands. Inuyasha can't think. _She...she loves...me? me?!_ He frowns, shaking his head. _That...can't be right..._

Kagome looks at him. _He...doesn't believe me..._ The miko puts her hands on either side of his face to stop his movements. He looks at her, still frowning. "You heard me right, Inuyasha. I said, "I love you.""

The frown leaves Inuyasha's face, but he still can't find his voice. Kagome's heart breaks as tears start to form in the hanyou's amber eyes. The miko suddenly stands up, grabbing Inuyasha's hand and dragging him behind her.

"Where...where are we going?" he asks, his voice shaky.

"You'll see," she answers, heading down the hall and into the bathroom. Kagome drops his hand and begins to run water in the tub, stepping back out into the hallway to get a bottle out of the closet. Inuyasha watches her without commenting, wondering how to respond to what Kagome's just told him.

The miko also grabs a couple of towels while getting the bubble bath solution, coming back into the bathroom and pouring some of the sweet-smelling stuff under the running water. Putting the towels on a rack hanging from the wall, Kagome goes back to her bedroom. Inuyasha stands there, still not knowing what to do.

After a few minutes, Kagome comes back and begins placing several candles all around the bathroom, lighting them as she goes. When she finishes, the girl sets the lighter on the sink and turns off the water in the tub. She walks back over to Inuyasha, grabbing his hand again and turning off the lights. The soft glow from the candles reflects off their skin.

Slipping out of her underwear, Kagome leads the half-demon to the bath, stepping in and pulling him after her. He just stands there. "Well, si...," Kagome stops, blushing at what she almost said. "Uh...sorry, Inuyasha. That was almost...really bad." He just stares at her--still in a daze.

Kagome looks at him a moment before placing her hands on his shoulders and gently forcing him down into the water. The bubbles come up to his chest. Kagome sits down facing him--staring into his eyes for a second before she grabs a handful of bubbles and shoves them in his face.

Inuyasha gapes at her. Kagome grins as she picks up another handful. Inuyasha reaches out and grabs her wrist, twisting the girl around and dunking her head under the water. She comes back up sputtering and laughing. Looking up at Inuyasha, she can see he's smiling.

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Inuyasha is leaning back in the tub, Kagome in front of him, twirling strands of their hair together. She frowns.

"You're hair is so pretty. I wish mine was this color," she says, letting the two-toned braid float in the water, where it slowly unravels.

Inuyasha chuckles, wrapping his arms around her. "You want the ears, too?" he asks, a small grin forming on his lips.

Kagome turns her head to look at him, contemplating his question. "...maybe. Would you do this to them if I had ears like yours?" she asks, reaching up and gently rubbing the tip of one fuzzy ear between her fingers. Inuyasha narrows his eyes at her as a low hum escapes his throat.

Kagome smiles, lifting her head to kiss him. It's a gentle touch, the girl simply letting her lips rest against his for a few seconds. Kagome breaks away, still smiling, noticing that the hanyou has a goofy grin on his face.

_I wish I could do that forever... _"I wish I could do that forever...," she murmurs.

"What?"

"What?" Kagome replies, her cheeks reddening. _I didn't say that out loud--did I?_

The half-demon raises one eyebrow at her. "You just said you wish you could do that forever," he replies, a slight smirk on his face. Kagome's blush deepens.

"Oh, Kami," she mumbles, sinking under the water. Inuyasha smiles as he reaches through the bubbles and grabs her arms, bringing the girl back to the surface.

"We'll see," he whispers, pulling her into another kiss.

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"We should probably get out now--the water's starting to get cold," Kagome says, pushing away from Inuyasha. "And we've lost most of our bubbles." She scoops up a few lingering suds, blowing them gently in the hanyou's face. He closes his eyes so the soapy substance won't get in them. When he reopens his eyes, a slight scowl crosses his features as the half-demon focuses on a bubble that has landed on the end of his nose.

Kagome giggles, reaching up to pop the offending bubble, leaving her hand on Inuyasha's cheek. He looks at her with sad eyes before turning his head and kissing her palm. The miko puts her other hand behind his neck, pulling him to her and wrapping her arms around his head. Inuyasha puts his arms around her, hugging Kagome tightly, his cheek just below her collarbone. She rests hers on the top of his head.

_Oh, Inuyasha..._ she thinks, as the hanyou cries quietly against her. _Will you ever get over this?_

_------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

Kagome is wrapped in a towel, her damp, combed hair hanging down her back. Inuyasha stands in front of her, a towel around his waist, mumbling impatiently while she combs his hair.

"Well, if you'd brush it every once in awhile...," Kagome says, stopping to work out a tangle. "...this wouldn't take so long."

"Hmmmpphh," Inuyasha snorts. He's not about to tell Kagome that he likes having her brush his hair.

"Okay. All done," she says, grabbing a section and tossing it playfully. Inuyasha immediately shakes his head, silver hair flying everywhere. Kagome scowls. "That just completely defeated the whole point of combing your hair."

Inuyasha stares at her a second before shrugging. Kagome rolls her eyes at him and shakes her head, a small smile on her lips. "You'll never learn...," she mumbles, blowing out the candles and heading out the door. "Are you hungry?"

Kagome sees a flash of silver and blue as the hanyou races past her down the stairs and bounds into the kitchen. "Starving!" he yells, banging cabinet doors. Kagome walks into the kitchen and glares at the half-demon. He's piled up bags of potato chips, instant noodles, and other assorted snacks on the counter. "No, Inuyasha. We're gonna make breakfast, since it's...," the girl looks at the clock on the wall. _5:15..._ "...almost morning." Kagome yawns, realizing that she's finally getting tired.

Inuyasha pouts. "But I'm hungry now...,"

"Then eat this," she says, grabbing an apple and sticking it in his mouth. Inuyasha takes a bite and sits down on a chair, glaring at Kagome as she starts putting his collection away and pulling other items from various places. She sets a pan on the stove and pours some oil in it before walking across the kitchen to the pantry. "Don't touch that," she warns the hanyou.

Inuyasha huffs at her, taking another bite of his apple. Checking to see that Kagome's still occupied, the hanyou walks over to the stove and leans over the pan...

He feels a jerk on his hair as Kagome pulls him back, just as a drop of the oil splatters where his nose had been. "I don't know about demons, but you just about had what humans call "a lot of pain." It'll burn you--don't touch it," she warns again, setting various items on the counter.

The half-demon glares. Kagome rolls her eyes. "Fine--stick your hand in there, but don't blame me when you get burned," she says, opening cabinet doors in an attempt to find a couple of bowls. She stops to watch as Inuyasha holds his hand over the pan, debating.

Just then, a drop of the oil splashes up onto his hand, making the hanyou grimace. He jerks his hand back, but doesn't make a sound. Kagome sighs as she leaves the room, heading for her mother's bathroom.

Coming back into the kitchen, Kagome sees Inuyasha sitting on his chair, grinding his teeth together. "I told you," she says, earning a glare from the half-demon. Ignoring his look, Kagome removes the lid from a tube of burn ointment and squeezes some onto his hand, rubbing it into the burn. His face relaxes.

Replacing the lid, Kagome sets the tube on the counter and walks over to the ingredients she's gathered. Grabbing a bowl and a wooden spoon, she brings them back to Inuyasha, setting them on the table in front of him. Opening the fridge, the girl grabs a carton of eggs and a container of milk and walks back over to the confused hanyou. Measuring the correct amounts, she puts flour, baking soda, salt, and sugar in his bowl and hands him the spoon. "Stir," she says as he takes the utensil. "Not a lot--just until it's mixed."

Inuyasha complies, the spoon in one hand, and his half-eaten apple in the other. Grabbing another bowl, Kagome put the eggs, milk, and butter in hers, stirring until it's blended, then pouring the mix into Inuyasha's bowl. He stares at her. "Keep stirring," she says, making a vague swirling movement in the air. Inuyasha thinks she's lost her mind. _How's all this stuff gonna make anything as good as those noodles?_

The hanyou starts to rethink his question as Kagome opens a bag of small brown objects. "What're those?" he asks, sniffing at the bag. Kagome laughs and pulls it away from him.

"They're chocolate chips, Inuyasha. We're gonna put them in the pancakes," she replies, pouring most of the bag into the bowl. He tilts his head at her. "You'll see," Kagome says, answering his unsaid question.

Putting all the ingredients away, Kagome takes the bowl from Inuyasha and walks over to the stove, trading the wooden spoon for a ladle. Dipping the utensil in the batter, the miko pours three spoonfuls into the pan, careful to not burn herself.

Finding a couple of plates and a spatula, Kagome calls Inuyasha over. "When they're brown on one side, flip them over--like this," she demonstrates, flipping one pancake over easily and handing the spatula to the hanyou. Unsure, Inuyasha takes it, awkwardly flipping the second pancake. Kagome smiles. "You'll get it. Just keep practicing," she says encouragingly, while rummaging in another cabinet.

Inuyasha tries the third pancake, flipping it easier than the second. He grins. "This isn't so hard." Kagome smiles at him, coming back to the stove.

"Okay. Now put them on this plate and I'll pour some more," she says, placing a dish beside him. Inuyasha stacks the pancakes on the plate, and stares at them hungrily while Kagome pours more batter in the pan. "They're almost done--just be patient," she says, going back to the cabinet she had left.

Inuyasha huffs. "When am I ever patient?" he asks, checking one cake to see if it's brown yet.

"No argument here," Kagome replies mildly, pulling two bottles from the cabinet, plus two more plates and a couple of forks, setting everything on the table. Inuyasha glares at her when she turns around. "You said it," the miko says in defense. He rolls his eyes at her before staring at the pan again.

After all the batter has been used, Kagome turns off the stove and puts the dirty dishes in the sink. She grabs the plate with the pancakes and sits down at the table, motioning for Inuyasha to sit across from her as she puts a pile of the chocolate-chip pancakes on his plate. "Mom has strawberry or maple syrup, or you can eat them plain," she says, putting a couple of them on her own plate and pouring the strawberry syrup over them. "Just make sure you use the fork--it can get messy," she says, noticing that Inuyasha has already stuffed one cake in his mouth and is about to pour maple syrup on the one in his hand.

Inuyasha reluctanly sets it back down on his plate before pouring the syrup over the cake. "And don't eat them all--you're not the only one who's worked up an appetite," Kagome says, oblivious to the half-demon's face--which is quickly becoming a bright red color--as she stands and goes to the fridge. "Milk or orange juice?" she asks, turning back to the half-demon.

"Wudehvuhr," he mumbles, filling his plate again. Kagome shakes her head and fills two glasses with milk, setting one in front of Inuyasha before sitting down. She watches him for a moment, marveling at how he could possibly shove 6 pancakes into his mouth at once.

"You might want to breathe," she says, a slight smile on her face. Inuyasha swallows his mouthful and downs the milk in one gulp.

"I told you I was hungry," he says, shrugging, before stabbing another pancake with his fork. Kagome sighs and stands back up, getting the ingredients back out to make another batch.

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"Who knew you could be so helpful?" the miko says as Inuyasha hands her the last dish to put away, having washed and dried all of them when he saw Kagome start to do them herself.

Inuyasha shrugs. "You made the pancakes. The least I could do is clean-up," he says, grinning before placing a kiss on her cheek.

Kagome turns so the hanyou can't see the blush crawling up her cheeks. "You helped, too, you know," she says, putting the bowl in the cabinet. She feels him wrap his arms around her, nuzzling her neck.

"You helped me," he says seriously, kissing her cheek again. Kagome turns to look at him. "Thank you, Kagome," Inuyasha whispers, kissing her lips.

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"So, what was the rest of this "plan"?" the hanyou asks, as the two of them make their way back upstairs.

Kagome sighs, walking into her room and laying down on her bed. Inuyasha lays down beside her, so that they're facing each other. "Okay. Well, you weren't supposed to find out that I wasn't cursed, which kind of messed everything up." Inuyasha raises an eyebrow at her. Kagome blushes. "Actually, it was better this way--once you went along with the idea."

Inuyasha huffs and rolls onto his back, pulling Kagome over so she's lying on his chest. "I wasn't opposed to it--I just didn't think now was the..." The hanyou stops mid-sentence as he realizes what he just said. Kagome sits up and stares at him with a shocked expression. Inuyasha blushes and turns his head to face the wall. "Well...damn it," he mumbles.

Kagome's face slowly softens into a smile before she lays back down and hugs the half-demon tightly. "At least we won't be surprised next time," she whispers, grinning as she hears Inuyasha's breathing stop for a moment. Continuing as if they hadn't had the interlude, Kagome says, "So, if my plan had gone according to...uh, plan, then you would've thought I didn't know what I was doing, and wouldn't have had a choice but to go along with me."

She hears Inuyasha grunt in acknowledgement, then yawn. "Okay? So then, tomorrow morning, I was gonna wake up and act like I didn't have clue what was going on, and didn't remember last...er, tonight at all. And you weren't supposed to mention it to me, because, well, why would I have believed you?" she asks, turning her head to face him.

Inuyasha stares at her a second before nodding. "Yeah, that would've sounded...you probably would have "sat" me a thousand times for even mentioning it...doing...that...to...you... Even though you really...would have... remembered. This is giving me a headache, Kagome," the hanyou says, rubbing his forehead.

Kagome sighs, laying her head back down. "You have no idea. Anyway, so you would have kept quiet, because nobody would believe that I'd have done such a thing, and I wouldn't have "remembered." So I would have--hopefully--helped you, and nobody would be the wiser as to how exactly it happened. Got it?"

Kagome waits for an answer but turns around to look at the half-demon when she doesn't receive one. She smiles. "Inuyasha?" she whispers.

He opens his eyes a little to look at her, smiling and hugging the girl tighter to his chest before dozing off again. Kagome kisses his chest before falling asleep against the hanyou.

* * *

Oh...um, the blue was the towel...and...uh, the unsaid question was "What're pancakes?" I think that's all... What'd ya'll think? I'm debating about what to do in the next chapter, b/c I have an idea, and then I thought about a different one, which will seriously, seriously depress Kagome. (And me...) Ok. Well, bye for now! 


	4. Unforgettable

Sorry this took so long guys. All my stories are gonna be backed up b/c I got a nasty virus on my computer, and then my internet went down. So, this weekend sucked, pretty much. And there's still something wrong with the memory. I've started reading HP5 also, in preparation for the movie, then I'm gonna read HP6 before HP7 comes out in a few weeks. So everything's gonna be slow for awhile. I'm dreading the next chap too, b/c I don't want to write what I'm going to write. Ya'll see in the next chap. For now, enjoy this one-it's cute. I think. :)

* * *

Kagome is sitting in her desk chair, brushing her hair, having already awoken and gotten dressed. Inuyasha is still lying in her bed, snoring lightly as he sleeps. Kagome sets her brush on the desk and crosses her arms over the back of the chair--watching the half-demon's chest rise and fall, his silver hair spread out across the pillow, the blue towel still around his waist. The miko smiles to herself as tears well in her dark eyes. Kagome lets them trickle down her cheeks.

_He said..., "We'll see." But...even if there's never anything more than friendship between me and Inuyasha...I'll cherish this night--always... _Kagome thinks to herself. The girl turns her head and looks out her bedroom window, watching the midday sun filter through the leaves of the Goshinboku. Her eyes unconsciously drop to the bare spot on the tree's trunk, where Inuyasha had been sealed all those years ago. She closes her eyes, recalling the first time she saw him.

_He looked...so peaceful..._ she thinks, turning back to the hanyou. Kagome notices that Inuyasha has turned his face toward her, and is wearing the same expression she remembers. She smiles again. _He hardly ever lets his guard down. Not that I blame him--he's been through so much..._

Kagome studies the half-demon, memorizing every detail. She wants to be able to look back on this moment and recall everything. His skin..._so soft. You'd think it would tough, or callused,...or something, with all the fighting he's done. And, to some extent, the palms of his hands and his fingers are rough...but I guess his demon blood heals his injuries fairly well. He hardly has any scars..._

The miko gazes at Inuyasha's arms, chest, and stomach. _He's not...hard...like some guys are who have muscles. Wielding Tetsusaiga...running around all the time...it keeps him in shape. But I guess he eats too much Ramen..._ Kagome grins to herself._ ...'cause he's...toned, but not...ripped... _

Drawing her eyes up, Kagome again wishes that she had hair like Inuyasha's. Besides the color, his brilliant locks are thick, and have a slight wave to them. She compares it to his skin, noting how the lighter shade of his hair contrasts nicely with his tan. Kagome smiles, stifling a giggle as she remembers the tiny silver hairs covering his arms, legs, stomach, _everywhere..._ She sighs. Inuyasha was gorgeous--and he didn't even know it.

Looking at his face, Kagome admires the set of his jaw...the fullness of his lips ..._ lightly pink in color... and...warm...and...soft..._ she thinks, closing her eyes--remembering his lips on hers. The miko sighs happily, the image of Inuyasha kissing her making Kagome's heart flutter. She keeps her eyes closed for a few minutes, waiting for her heart to slow.

Opening them, the girl again looks at the half-demon's face, focusing on the miniscule freckles sprinkled across the bridge of his nose, and the two points on his cheeks where Kagome had first noticed the hanyou's dimples. The miko grins, losing herself in her own thoughts.

When she first saw both features on Inuyasha, Kagome had wondered why she hadn't noticed them before. The freckles were easiest to figure out, as there were very few of them, and they were both tiny and almost the same color as the surrounding skin. Kagome had also never been close enough to his face to see them. It took a little longer to figure out the dimples. The miko had been surprised when she saw the two of them, framing the hanyou's brilliant smile. But then it dawned on her--she had never seen him smile. Not like that, at least. It was always sort of a vaguely amused grin that never quite reached his eyes. _His eyes..._

Kagome couldn't decide which she liked better--those dark golden orbs, which could wipe absolutely everything from her mind in seconds--even her ability to breath. Or the adorable, velvety ears perched on top of Inuyasha's head--ones she longed to touch every minute of the day. Kagome sighs again, giving up the debate. The miko decides she loves both equally, and gazes over to her bed, staring at the hanyou's bangs--admiring the way they fall over his eyes. She gasps. Inuyasha is watching her.

Accutely aware that her cheeks are rapidly taking on a bright red tinge, Kagome drops her eyes to the floor, trying to find her voice. Inuyasha speaks first. "Good morning," he says, his voice husky from sleep. The half-demon offers her a dimple-revealing smile, rolling over onto his side and propping his head on one arm.

Kagome glances up at him through her bangs, trying to still her racing heart. "Sleep well?" she asks, barely above a whisper.

Inuyasha nods, stifling a yawn. He smiles at her again. Speaking through her embarrassment, the miko whispers, "I like those," while pointing to the two points on her own cheeks where dimples normally show themselves. Kagome grins widely as the hanyou scowls.

"You weren't supposed to see those," he growls, rolling onto his back and putting one arm over his face as a pinkish tint creeps onto his cheeks. Kagome giggles softly and walks over to the bed, sitting down beside him. She pulls his arm away from his face and runs a finger down his nose.

"I probably shouldn't say anything about the freckles then, either?" she asks, grinning.

Inuyasha moans, pulling Kagome's pillow from underneath his head and laying it over his face. "Mu canmph nenshun voz," he mumbles.

"What?" the girl asks, running her hands through his hair to work out the tangles.

Inuyasha lifts up the pillow and looks at her. "I said, 'You can't mention those.'" The hanyou narrows his eyes at her when she doesn't respond. Kagome continues to work on his hair, pretending not to notice the dirty look she's getting from Inuyasha. "Kagome," he growls, grabbing one of her hands. She stares at him, trying to look innocent while also stifling a smile. The hanyou glares at her. "I know you're trying to keep from laughing, Kagome." She grins widely at him. Inuyasha scowls, pulling Kagome down on top of him and wrapping his arms around her. The girl laughs hysterically into his chest, trying to pull away from the half-demon. She hears a rumbling deep in his chest, which only makes her laugh harder. Inuyasha rolls his eyes, lifting the girl up and bringing her lips to his, which instantly stops Kagome's giggles.

The hanyou's eyes glitter wickedly as they break apart. He smirks. Kagome's cheeks are pink, her eyes darkened from desire. She takes a minute to find her voice, but what she says is not what Inuyasha wants to hear. "There's 15 of them," she says, pointing to his nose before breaking down into hysterical giggles again. Inuyasha groans and pulls her pillow over his head, grumbling into it as the miko laughs against his chest.

Once she's calmed down, Kagome pulls the pillow off of Inuyasha's head, lifting herself up to kiss him. He glares at her. "Oh--come on. They're adorable," she says, rolling onto her side and facing him. Inuyasha refuses to look at her. "And so are the dimples," the girl whispers, stroking his cheek with her fingers. The hanyou turns toward her, still glaring.

"I'm not supposed to be 'adorable.' That's hardly intimidating to demons trying to kill me," Inuyasha growls.

Kagome grins at him. "Well, you'll just have to get used to it--cause all of you's adorable," she says, reaching up and rubbing one of his ears between her fingers. The half-demon tries to maintain his scowl, but it slowly dissolves as the girl massages his ear. Inuyasha closes his eyes, his throat emitting a low hum. Kagome giggles again.

Inuyasha opens his eyes, raising one eyebrow at her. "Is something funny?"

Kagome grins. "Just you." The hanyou raises both brows, slightly surprised. The miko leans forward and kisses him, nibbling Inuyasha's bottom lip lightly. "You try to be all tough, but you're a total softy," she whispers, placing both hands on his cheeks.

Inuyasha growls, grabbing Kagome around the waist and rolling over so that he's lying on top of her. "We'll see who's soft," he says, as the miko starts giggling again.

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Kagome is standing at the top of the steps, staring down at the Bone-Eater's Well. Inuyasha is standing at the bottom, looking up at her with confusion. "Aren't you coming?" he asks, walking back up to the step below her, so that their eyes are level. Kagome hesistates--she doesn't want to go back yet. She looks into his eyes, tears welling in her own. Inuyasha frowns as he sees her crying, placing his hands on her cheeks as the first tears spill down them. "What's wrong?" he asks, still confused.

Kagome wraps her hands around his wrists, closing her eyes and bowing her head a little. "I...I don't know how I'm supposed to act, Inuyasha. Do we completely ignore the past 24 hours? Pretend like nothing happened? Sneak away when no one's looking?" Kagome opens her eyes and raises them to the hanyou's face. "Because...I don't know what to do," she sobs, burying her face in the half-demon's hoari.

Inuyasha strokes her back, holding the girl to his chest as she cries. He had been thinking about this ever since Kagome had said she loved him...and he realized that he loved her back. But he couldn't tell her--it was too soon...after... Inuyasha's emotions were too raw at the moment. But he did know one thing--last night meant something to him. The girl he was holding had probably given the hanyou one of the most precious things she had--and had confessed to another. Inuyasha--for a brief time--had been able to forget the events of the past few days. He had almost been happy. _I __**was**__ happy..._ he thinks, hugging Kagome tighter. The girl has stopped crying, and is simply hugging the half-demon, her face still buried in his chest.

Inuyasha puts one hand behind her head and tilts her face towards his, bringing his lips down on hers. Kagome freezes at first, then relaxes against him, moaning softly as the half-demon caresses her lips, tongue... She opens her eyes as Inuyasha draws away, breathing heavily. The miko gasps at what the half-demon says next. "We'll just take it slow--okay?" he says, offering the girl a small smile. Kagome gapes at him.

"Wh...what?" she asks, not quite sure she heard him right. Inuyasha smiles at her.

"You heard me," he says, kissing her again before taking Kagome's hand and drawing her down the steps. She follows in a daze, still not quite able to accept what she's just heard.

Inuyasha grabs her around the waist and jumps into the well, smiling at the goofy look that's slowly coming across the miko's face as they're transported back to Feudal Era Japan.

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"Don't you think that's a little ironic, Inuyasha?" Kagome says as they come up on the edge of Kaede's village. It's the first thing she's said since they'd climbed out of the well. The miko had been preoccupied until now. "I mean, considering last night, taking it slow?" she says, glancing sideways at the hanyou. It was the first time she'd looked at him, too.

Inuyasha stops walking, taking her hand in his and drawing Kagome into another kiss. She smiles shyly at him as they break apart, waiting for his response. He stares at her a moment, contemplating her question. Finally, the hanyou shrugs and says, "We can't do anything simply, though--can we?" while smiling at the miko, and turning back to the path. Inuyasha freezes, his eyes widening as his grip on Kagome's hand tightens. Wondering what he's seen, the girl turns her head.

Standing on the path in front of them is Shippo, a shocked expression on his face, a half-eaten apple stopped in mid-air on the way to his mouth. He's goggling at them.

"S...Shippo?" Kagome asks, taking a step toward the kitsune. The fox turns his head toward her, opening and closing his mouth, trying to find his voice. "Ho...how much did you hear, Shippo?" she asks, trying to keep her voice calm. Inuyasha has a slightly annoyed look on his face, and his face has paled slightly.

Shippo stares at Kagome for a few seconds before turning to Inuyasha, then glances at their clasped hands before bringing his eyes back to the miko. "Uh...something about last night...," the fox finally whispers, dropping his arm to his side. He frowns. "Why did you kiss Kagome, Inuyasha?" he asks, glancing at the half-demon.

Kagome and Inuyasha both let out an audible sigh. It seemed that Shippo was more concerned with their kiss that with what happened the night before. Still being cautious, Inuyasha says, "'Cause she'll let me now, kid," as he and Kagome walk toward him.

The demon frowns again as they reach him, jumping onto Kagome shoulder as they pass. "What does that mean? You two aren't like...courting or anything--are you? Cause that would be...," Shippo stops talking as he sees the blush on their faces. "You two are--aren't you?!" he yelps, jumping back to the ground and walking backwards in front of them. "How did this happen? What happened in Kagome's world? What about Kikyo?" Shippo stops as a new thought enters his head as he turns away from them. "When did you start talking, Inuyasha? Aren't you depressed anymore? What...?"

Inuyasha puts his free hand over his eyes as the fox continues to ramble off questions. The hanyou had not counted on anyone knowing about him and Kagome so soon. He hadn't had time to consider any of these questions--and he certainly didn't want to reveal what really happened while he was with Kagome. Glancing at her, the half-demon sees from her expression that Kagome hasn't thought this far ahead either. He sighs, drawing her attention. The kitsune continues to speak, oblivious to the fact that the adults are no longer paying attention to him.

"I guess we should figure all this out," he whispers, pulling her closer. Kagome smiles and puts her head on his shoulder as they come within sight of Kaede's house. Miroku and Sango are sitting outside, enjoying the afternoon sun. Kilala is sleeping in Sango's lap. When Shippo sees them, he takes off running, yelling as he comes sliding to a stop in front of Miroku.

"Inuyasha and Kagome are courting!" he says, smiling up at the them. The monk and the demon slayer glance up at couple, noting their clasped hands and the way Kagome is leaning against Inuyasha, their mouths dropping open in shock. They can't believe what they're seeing.

As the two of them reach the hut, Kagome takes off her backpack and digs a bottle out of it, dropping the pack and walking to the hut's entrance. She turns around and, ignoring the stares from everyone else, speaks to Inuyasha. "I need to give this to Kaede. I'll be back in a minute," she says, grinning at the hanyou. He glares as she enters the hut, before sitting down next to Miroku.

The other three are still staring at him, waiting for an explanation. He opens his mouth to tell them mind their own business, but an ear-splitting yell breaks the awkward silence. "INUYASHA! GET YOUR HALF-DEMON ASS IN HERE RIGHT NOW!"

Inuyasha falls backwards off the log, his hands over his ears. Confusion crossing his face, the hanyou gets up and crosses over to the door, slowly pushing the cloth aside to enter the hut. The others all stare at his back--including Kilala, who had woken up when Kaede yelled.

Upon entering the hut, Inuyasha sees the old miko sitting on the floor, the bottle Kagome had brought her in one hand, and Kagome's wrist in the other. The younger priestess has a frightened and bewildered look on her face as she turns to face him. Inuyasha flattens himself against the wall, since Kaede is glaring daggers at him. "What have you done?!" she hisses, her eyes sparking with anger.

* * *

Anybody getting a bad feeling from Kaede's reaction? 'Cause it's gonna be really bad. I can't think about it cause I'll cry. But maybe I'm just emotional or something. Anyway...that was cute-right? I really like the idea of Inuyasha having dimples and freckles-especially the freckles. I don't know where they came from either. I was just trying to get in Kagome's head and see what she would see. Whatever. Ok-gotta get to bed now...got work tomorrow... 


	5. A Big Mistake?

Sorry this took so long guys. I was distracted with Harry, then I really didn't want to write this chap, b/c I think it's depressing, then I got stuck trying to figure out what I wanted to say. So anyways...Ya'll probably get mad at me, cause it's not a happy chapter, but, you know, that's where the plot's going. So, well, dozo! Disclaimer: Inu isn't mine. :(

* * *

Inuyasha stares at the old priestess, wondering what in the hell she's ranting about. He glances at Kagome again, who shrugs almost imperceptively. Looking back at Kaede, the hanyou asks, "What are you talking about?" with less force than he would have liked. The miko glares at him. 

"Ye know what I mean, Inuyasha," she hisses again. "What did ye do to Kagome?" she asks, shaking the girl's arm. Kagome stares at the priestess with wide eyes.

The half-demon continues to stare at the woman, praying that she isn't referring to what he thinks she is. He shakes his head slightly, still maintaining his bewildered expression.

Kaede glares for a minute more, then sighs deeply, dropping Kagome's wrist. "Sit," she says, waving her free hand vaguely at the small fire before her while setting the bottle on a shelf behind her.

Kagome and Inuyasha exchange a look before sitting down across from her, the young miko rubbing her wrist. They have to wait several minutes before Kaede is ready to speak.

"Inuyasha. Do ye know why Kikyo wished for you to become human?" the priestess asks, looking up at him with a saddened expression. Kagome's breath catches in her throat as Kaede mentions her sister. Inuyasha scowls.

"Kikyo thought that the jewel would cease to exist if it were used to turn me into a human. She would no longer need to protect it from thieves and demons, and could live as a normal woman," the hanyou says softly. He glances over at Kagome when he finishes, but she's staring at the floor, poking holes in the dirt with her finger. Inuyasha's ears droop a little as he watches her.

Unbeknownst to them, Keade is watching their actions with deep sympathy--and sadness. _It's happening again..._ she thinks, sighing. Kagome and Inuyasha look at her. "There...was another reason, Inuyasha."

The half-demon raises his eyebrows. _What??_ He frowns, shaking his head slightly. "She... Kikyo never said..."

"She did not wish for ye to know," Kaede whispers, staring into the fire. "Kikyo did not want to have to choose."

"Choose?" Kagome asks. "Between what?"

"Between Inuyasha and the village," Kaede says, still watching the fire.

Kagome glances at Inuyasha, who is frowning--confused. "What...what do you mean 'choose between Inuyasha and the village,' Kaede?" she asks. For some reason, Kagome feels a sudden sense of forboding. She tries to ignore it, listening intently as the elder miko speaks.

"We agree, that if all had gone..._as planned_, Inuyasha would have used the jewel to become human, and he and Kikyo would have lived here in the village--correct?" Kaede asks, glancing from the boy to the girl. Inuyasha nods slowly, Kagome following suit after swallowing the lump in her throat. "What if she had found another way to get rid of the jewel?" Kaede asks, looking back at the fire. "Would ye still have stayed with her in the village, Inuyasha? Even as a hanyou?"

He stares at her a moment before responding. "Of course. What kind of question is that?" Inuyasha asks, starting to get angry. He doesn't notice Kagome wipe her sleeve across her face.

"What if Kikyo lost her powers? Would ye have stayed with her then? Would ye have protected her?" the priestess asks. "Would you have protected the village?" Kaede adds in a whisper.

Inuyasha stares at her. _What? Why would Kikyo have lost her powers? _He turns to look at Kagome, but she's staring at Kaede, her brow furrowed, her eyes red. Inuyasha's ears droop again. _This...must hurt her--talking about Kikyo, after last night ... but Kagome looks like she doesn't know what the old woman is talking about either..._ He swallows, a hollow feeling rising in his chest as he watches the girl. The half-demon answers the miko slowly, delaying Kaede's next words. For some reason, he doesn't want to hear them.

"Yes...I would've stayed. For her. And I would've protected her...and the village, if Kikyo wished it," he says, sneering slightly as he says 'village.' "Why? Why would Kikyo have lost her powers?"

Kaede sighs. "Because. In order to _be_...," the priestess raises her brow at the pair of them, so that both the hanyou and the miko know exactly what she means, "...with you as a half-demon, my sister would have been considered... defiled, tainted...dirty. In short, she would be considered _impure_, and consequently lose her spiritual powers." Kaede pauses briefly before speaking again. "Just as Kagome has," she says, gazing at the girl across from her.

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Kagome stares. She can't help it. _Kaede must be joking. That...there's no... _Taking a deep deep breath, Kagome is about to turn toward Inuyasha before she notices something missing. Frowning, the girl tries to think of what's wrong, before it dawns on her that she can no longer feel the jewel shards hanging around her neck. She gasps, turning to the hanyou as she notices a rumble coming from beside her, her eyes widening as she looks at the half-demon.

Inuyasha has his own eyes narrowed at the old priestess, a furious expression on his face. A low growl is passing over his lips--his fangs just visible between them--as the muscle in his jaw twitches. His claws are clenched tightly in his lap; he's obviously fighting to restrain himself. Kaede looks at him sadly.

"Do not be angry with me, Inuyasha," she sighs. "I have no control over the ways of this world. A miko's powers, as ye both know--are based on the purity of her soul." Kaede stops a moment to poke at the embers in the fire before her. "Unfortunately, the spirit makes no distinction between good and evil--as ye've seen with the Dark Priestess Tsubaki. As long as the soul is...untarnished...the miko will retain her abilities. To... _join_ ... with a demon...is to taint the soul--to defile it. The spiritual power of the soul is rendered useless by the demonic aura now contained within her." Kaede looks up at them, seeing an expression of horror on Kagome's face, anger still on Inuyasha's_ --_though there is also something else mixed with it. _Desp...? _Kagome speaks before the miko has time to ponder his look.

"But...but...," Kagome struggles to voice her thoughts. "What does this mean, Kaede? Can a priestess never...never...," she trails off, her cheeks gaining the smallest bit of color. Inuyasha turns his head slightly to look at her--still angry, though he seems to have calmed down some. She glances quickly at him before looking back at the old miko. "How...is there a way to get my powers back?" she asks quietly.

Kaede suppresses a wry grin at the order in which the girl asked her questions. _I knew ye held a fondness for him, Kagome. But I did not know it ran this deep, though I should have guessed otherwise... _The miko takes a deep breath before beginning again. "A priestess's life is most often spent alone--that is a fact," she says, looking again at the girl, who has now gone very pale. Kaede hurries to finish her explanation. "But that is often simply the result of men who can not understand the powers she possesses. If one can find another, for example, Miroku...," Inuyasha snorts loudly and rolls his eyes; Kagome smiles a little, despite herself, "...then a miko can be happy--though it is rare, as so few mortals actually possess spiritual powers."

"So, if a priestess were to _be_...with a mortal...a _human_...," Kagome whispers, emphasizing the word 'human' so much that Inuyasha turns fully to face her, a slightly baffled look on his face. The young miko determinedly ignores him and continues to look at Kaede.

"She would keep her powers, aye," the older woman says quietly. Kagome's face falls as she looks down at her hands, which are playing with the hem of her skirt. "But it is only within the boundaries of a union," Kaede says after a moment, earning confused looks from the two across from her.

"You...you mean...marriage?" Kagome asks, frowning. Kaede freezes, then nods reluctantly. "What Kaede? Why did you hesitate?" the girl asks, having noticed the priestesses' pause.

Kaede sighs. "A...union in the loosest sense of the word. As long as she--and her soul--are bound to a mortal, even if it is only by a profession of love, a priestess may keep her powers." The miko sneers, spitting out her next words. "It is a foolish thing. I myself could not do it, but there are some--monks and priests, as well--who confess to loving one individual, while..._spending time _with others." Kaede sighs. "It is a disgusting fact of this world, as so many find a way around it...while others can not," she whispers, glancing quickly at the two before her. Inuyasha and Kagome don't see her, as they are both staring at the ground. "T'would be better to be bound to a demon, anyway. They are not so fickle as humans, and rarely break their word, once they have given it. Though it is difficult to find one...worthy enough," the miko says, looking pointedly at Inuyasha as she speaks.

The hanyou stares at the priestess, surprised and touched by her words. He snorts and mumbles something that sounds like "says you" under his breath before turning away from her. Kagome gives Kaede a small smile, exchanging a look with the older woman that says they both understand the half-demons' actions. She hesitates a moment before asking, "Why does Miroku still have his powers then?"

Kaede smiles. "I think that our dear Miroku has simply... _flattered_ many women during his travels. I believe he has only ever confessed to one woman," she replies, nodding her head toward the doorway. "Otherwise, the monk has been rather forward about things he has not yet experienced," she adds, raising her brow. Kagome and Inuyasha stare at her a moment before she erupts in giggles, and he crosses his arms--huffing and mumbling 'I knew it' under his breath.

The three sit in silence for a few minutes before Inuyasha breaks it. "So...where does this leave us? How can Kagome get her powers back?" he asks tentatively, glancing at Kagome. She looks at him, her chocolate gaze connecting with his amber one for several seconds before Kaede speaks, drawing their attention.

Kaede frowns, regretting the answer she must give them. "We agree, then, that Kagome must have her powers? With Kikyo gone, she is now the only one that can detect and purify the jewel shards," Kaede says. "I take it, Kagome, that ye have noticed you can no longer sense the presence of the shards?" The young miko nods, glancing down at the bottle hanging around her neck. "Then we need to reverse...what has happened," she says quietly. Kagome looks at the miko--confused and slightly shocked, but Inuyasha scoffs.

"How are we supposed to do that? You can't change the past," he says, ending the sentence softly as he realizes what time he was in when the two of them were together. Kagome seems to have come to the same conclusion and has gone pale again.

Kaede sighs sadly. "There is a spell that I can perform, with the assistance of Miroku...," the miko starts to say.

"Miroku! Why does that lecherous monk need to help?" Inuyasha asks, both his and Kagome's cheeks reddening as they imagine their friend finding out what happened in Kagome's era.

Kaede rolls her eyes at the hanyou before responding. "Because Inuyasha--I know the spell to send Kagome to the future, but I do not have the spiritual power required to perform it. Also, even if the monk recognizes the words, it is very unlikely that he will know why we are doing it," she says, staring at the half-demon as if this is common knowledge. She frowns as she looks at Kagome, who has tears in her eyes.

"We...have to take...that night back--don't we?" Kagome asks, forcing her words out, tears slowly streaking down her cheeks. She's determinedly keeping her eyes on her hands, not bearing to look at Inuyasha, though she can feel his eyes on her. "I...I have to stop it from happening," she says. It's not a question.

"Aye," Kaede responds after a minute, glancing to the half-demon to see him frowning at the girl, his eyes misting over. He sees the priestess staring and quickly wipes a sleeve over his face, turning away from Kagome and trying to look indifferent, his jaw clenched again-- though this time it's not in anger.

Kaede sighs as she slowly stands and walks to the door, placing her hand briefly on Kagome's head as she passes. She turns at the threshold. "We must recite the spell at the well, since that is where you will...arrive in your time. It is not neceassary for you to be there, Kagome," the miko says, deciding the pair would like to spend that time together. "I will take about half an hour to prepare," she says, stepping through the doorway.

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"Come, Miroku," the old priestess says as she walks past the group assembled outside the hut. The monk exchanges a bewildered look with Sango as he stands, following Kaede away from the hut. "Do not go inside," she throws back to the others. They're surprised. Her tone left no room for discussion.

"What are we doing, Kaede?" Miroku asks as they leave the village, headed for the Bone-Eater's Well. "Why were you mad at Inuyasha?"

The miko is silent as they walk up the hill toward the Goshinboku, stopping occasionally to pick herbs, berries, and leaves, and dig up roots. "The reason I was mad at Inuyasha is of no consequence--it is about to be... remedied." Miroku raises his brows at the woman --surprised --but he doesn't respond. "We are going to perform the "_O ni okuru e mae ni fuyu a jikan."_" Miroku gapes at her.

"What?! Why on earth are we doing the Advance through the Ages spell? What are we sending forward?" the monk blurts out, almost yelling. The spell requires an enormous amount of concentration, though--thankfully--not an unreasonable level of spiritual power. The spell is rarely used, as any lapse in concentration could send the object days, or even months or years away from the destined time. Only a handful of priestesses and monks knew how to do it properly. Miroku had never attempted it.

"We are sending Kagome to her time, four days ago," the miko whispers, plucking several large leaves off a bush growing beside their path. "You will supply most of the energy--I will control the destination." She turns to look at the monk when he doesn't respond. He's staring at her with wide eyes and a fearful look on his face. Kaede turns around and keeps walking past the Goshinboku as the monk follows slowly behind her.

"Ka...Kagome? We're sending Kagome to...to when she came out of the well after she went back last time?" he stutters, his face blanching a little when the miko nods. "But...but...why? What happened that needs to be...?" Miroku turns scarlet as he realizes just what had happened in the future. He had been wondering why Kagome had felt different when she came back earlier that evening; the young miko had been emanating almost no spiritual aura. The monk had shrugged it off as his imagination, though that feeling had been bothering him the whole time she, Kaede, and Inuyasha were inside the hut. For Kaede to suggest using this spell meant that something important had happened when the half-demon had gone to get the girl. Very few things would cause a spiritual being to lose their powers. "She...he...they..."

"It does not matter, Miroku," she states, breaking free of the forest into the clearing containing the well. The priestess pauses and begins unloading her arms of the ingredients she's gathered for the spell. Miroku stares for a second before bending to help her. "In a very short while, no one besides Kagome will remember anything that has happened in the past few hours."

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Kagome is sitting in Inuyasha's lap, facing him as she had done when the girl first approached the hanyou the night before. Her head is on his shoulder, he's stroking her hair--both have the remnants of tears on their cheeks. Kagome had been surprised when she'd seen Inuyasha silently crying, even though his tears had been much less than hers.

The half-demon had grabbed her as soon as Kaede had left the hut--sliding back against the wall and pulling the miko into his lap, where she had wrapped her arms around his neck and sobbed into his shoulder. She had felt his arms around her, and a wetness on her neck--though he'd made no sound. The pair had not even noticed that no one had entered the hut.

"I'm sorry, Inuyasha," Kagome whispers. "I didn't know I would lose my powers. I..." The hanyou interrupts her, tilting his head so he can look into her eyes.

"Are you, Kagome?" he asks softly. "Are you sorry? Because I'm not." The half-demon leans toward her and gently brushes his lips across hers. Kagome closes her eyes, tears still leaking out from underneath her lids. She gives a tiny, barely noticeable, shake of her head.

"No," she breathes, kissing him back. "No--I'm not sorry, Inuyasha. Last night was the...the...," Kagome frowns, trying to find the right word. She gives up after a minute, offering the hanyou a small smile as more tears course down her cheeks. "I won't ever forget it," she says, burying her head in his shoulder again.

Inuyasha doesn't respond, but pulls the girl closer, drawing his knees up behind her--as if he's afraid she might disappear if he loosens his hold. He hugs her for several minutes, breathing in the smell of bubble bath and pancakes. The half-demon chokes back a sob. _Why?! Why is this happening? First Kikyo...and now...last night... Damn it--it's not fair! Kagome's going to go back and stop herself from... But I won't forget! I won't! I'll remem..._

"You've gotta tell me, Kagome," Inuyasha says suddenly. Kagome lifts her head and looks at him curiously through her tears. He doesn't speak for a minute, waiting for the girl to understand what he means. She gasps, bringing one hand to her mouth as she realizes what the hanyou is referring to.

"You...you aren't going to remember, are you Inuyasha? Any of it?" she asks, her shock overpowering the tears still threatening to fall. He slowly shakes his head, a frown crossing his features. Kagome sits in Inuyasha's lap and simply stares at the boy, unwilling to believe that he won't be able to keep his memories of their time together. "But...but...how will I be able to remember it then? If I'm going to stop it from ever...happening," she says, choking on the last word.

"I would guess that the spell Kaede is using will let you remember the past few days. Otherwise, we'll end up...with the same problem," Inuyasha says, sneering slightly.

Kagome looks at him sadly, trying desperately to keep her tears from falling. She attempts to speak, but only a tiny squeak comes out. The girl closes her eyes for a moment, swallowing the lump in her throat. She opens her mouth again, only just realizing that she has his hoari clenched tightly in both fists. "But...it won't have happened for you, Inuyasha. It's...not even like you've forgotten and just need someone to jog your memory. It won't have happened for you!" she repeats, shaking his robe slightly before collapsing against him. The half-demon hugs her even tighter, running his hands through her hair.

"I know, Kagome. That's why you have to tell me," he whispers, kissing her cheek.

"But...you won't believe me," the girl mumbles into his chest. "Why would you believe that we'd..."

"Because...you'll tell me about the mark," he whispers, his cheeks reflecting the glow from the fire. Inuyasha speaks without looking at the girl.

"The mark? What mark?" Kagome asks, both confused and intrigued.

The half-demon sighs and leans back so that he's facing the young miko. "You...can't tell anyone, Kagome. Not your family, or Kaede. Not the guys outside. Nobody," Inuyasha repeats, speaking in soft tones but looking at her intensely. She stares at him a few seconds before nodding, a slight frown on her face.

He continues to watch her for another minute before lifting his hand and running a claw across the palm, tiny droplets of blood following in it's wake. The hanyou hesitates as he takes Kagome's hand, doing the same to hers. She winces at the slight pain, but doesn't comment. Inuyasha lifts his bangs and presses his palm to his forehead, then gently brings her hand up to the same place. He lets her arm drop, watching the girl's expression change from confusion... to surprise... to astonishment as she stares at him. On Inuyasha's forehead, showing through the dark red stain, is a purple crescent and a tiny star, the latter floating midway between the former's points. Kagome gapes.

"What...what...it looks like Sesshomaru's. Sort of," the miko frowns, reaching one finger up to trace over the brand. "How..."

Inuyasha lets his bangs fall back, sighing as he looks down. "It's not important. But I'll know that you're telling me the truth, because only my mother ever knew it was there," he whispers. "No one else--not even Sesshomaru--knows about it." He looks back up at her. "I would only ever show it to you if it was important--if I _had_ to listen to you. Kagome, if you mention this mark, you could tell me that Shippo is my secret love-child with Kaede, and I would believe you. But...please don't do that," he says quickly, shuddering and making a disgusted face. Kagome giggles and wraps her arms around his neck, nuzzling into him. He puts his arms around her.

The pair stays this way, knowing that at any moment Kaede and Miroku will perform the spell, and Kagome will be sent to the future. Tears start to slide down the girl's cheeks as she thinks about the night that will never happen. She whispers to the hanyou, knowing that in a few moments he won't remember any of this. He answers, forgetting that she will.

"I love you."

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Kagome gasps. She's back in the well, her pack beside her. She looks up, recognizing the roof of the well-house. _I'm...back in my time..._ she thinks, standing up and shouldering her backpack. She stands there a moment, wondering if she'd really heard those words fall from the hanyou's lips. The girl frowns, biting back tears as she climbs the ladder out of the well and walks up the stairs, slowly opening the doors to the outside. Sunlight streams across her face, temporarily blinding her. She blinks rapidly and focuses on her brother walking across the yard, two friends tagging along. _It's...the day I came back. I remember Sota saying that they were gonna pratice for the soccer game day after tomorrow... _

Kagome steps through the doors, closing them behind her. Her breathing coming in gasps, tears still threatening to fall as she tries not to suffocate on her own grief. The girl takes a tentative step toward her house before the despair overwhelms her and she bolts for her room, ignoring her brother as he yells a 'hello' at his sister, afraid she won't make it to her room before the depression takes over.

* * *

Urgh...ok. Let me know what you guys think. I feel _sooooo_ bad for Kagome. That's probably why this chap took so long. Anyways...oh. I needed a plothole, if stuff sounds kinda weird. Or maybe I was just tired when I finished this-I don't know... 


	6. Helping Kagome

Um, yeah. I don't even know. So, yeah. I've been working on a oneshot that's been in my head for like, 3 months, and I had to stop b/c it'd probably be another week before I could update any stories. So I decided to update, then go back to the oneshot. Which is already, like, 25 pages in Word. It's huge. And I'm only about halfway through. But it's my fav thing I've written so far, so hopefully everyone will like it, if I ever get it up. And I don't know why I'm telling ya'll this-you probably want to get to the story. Which is weird, by the way. But I was dealing with depression (Kags, not me) so it can be weird, I guess. I stayed up too late last night. Ok, well...I do not own Inu and the Gang, and dozo!

* * *

Inuyasha mumbles to himself as he falls through the vortex to Kagome's time. _Where is that girl? She never comes back when she says she's gonna! I'm gonna have to talk to her about..._

Inuyasha stops abruptly outside the well-house. _Something is very wrong..._ he thinks, immediately noticing the heavy, depressing air that is permeating the Shrine. He sees Sota playing with a black and white ball, kicking it, then slowly walking toward it, while Kagome's mom and Gramps are closing the doors on that motor-thing with wheels. Amorume sees Inuyasha and heads toward him, yelling at Sota that it's time to go. Sota turns toward the hanyou, forgetting about his ball and running up to the older boy, wrapping his arms around his waist, and sobbing quietly into his stomach. Inuyasha is shocked and confused at Sota's actions, so he just stands there until Amorume arrives.

"Did something happen between you and Kagome, Inuyasha?" she asks. Her face is an angry red, and she's obviously trying very hard to control her temper. Inuyasha stares at her, not having a clue what she's talking about. He shakes his head.

"See mom? I told you Inuyasha didn't have anything to do with it!" Sota yells, hugging the hanyou tighter.

_What's going on?_ Inuyasha asks himself, patting the boy tentatively on the back while looking confusedly from mother to son. Amorume continues to glare for a few more seconds before her face relaxes into a sad frown. "What...what's wrong?" Inuyasha asks, glancing up at Kagome's bedroom window. Her curtains are drawn, though he can't remember the girl having ever closed them. He notices that the window is still cracked a bit for him, though. He looks back at Amorume.

She sighs, pulling Sota away from Inuyasha and whispering to him to go grab her bag. She looks up at the half-demon with pain-filled eyes as her son runs off, wiping his eyes while he runs, and grabbing his ball as he passes it. "I don't know, Inuyasha. Kagome came back and immediately went to her room. She hasn't spoken to any of us. She won't eat, and I don't think she's sleeping. She hasn't even changed her clothes. Sota saw her arrive, but she ran past him without even acknowlegding her brother. He swears he saw her crying, but we can't get a word out of her to find out what's wrong." Kagome's mom stops speaking, removing a tissue from her purse to wipe her eyes. She looks up at Inuyasha. "I...I don't know what to do, Inuyasha. I've tried talking to her, but she doesn't respond to anything I say. I...I don't know how to help my baby girl...," Amorume says, burying her face in her hands as her tears overtake her.

Inuyasha stands there for a few seconds before drawing the woman into a hug. He doesn't say anything--just simply holds her. He notices Sota and Kagome's grandfather standing beside the car, a tired and dejected expression on his face. "Where are you going?" he asks.

Amorume pulls away from him and looks at the setting sun. She speaks in a whisper. "To my sister's. I wasn't going to go--someone needs to stay with Kagome. She...if she's still like this tomorrow, she'll have to go to the hospital." She turns to Inuyasha, who now looks alarmed. Amorume continues quickly. "She... Kagome's already gone three days without eating. I can tell she's losing weight, even though she's just lying in bed. She...can't stay like this, so somehow she needs to get nutrients into her system, and the doctors will be able to do that. But...but I need to get dad, and especially Sota, out of the house. Her...depression is affecting th...us. Sota is afraid for his sister. But I'm afraid for all of us. We need to get away from her, but...I can't bear...to send...my..." Amorume clenches her jaw, closing her eyes as more tears fall down her cheeks. Inuyasha is now scared to death, his heart pounding furiously in his chest, his brain frantically searching for answers to Kagome's condition. He's also trembling slightly. The boy desperately wants to get to Kagome, but he knows he needs to listen to her mother, so he waits. Amorume takes a few minutes to compose herself, then speaks.

"Sota said you'd come. You always come for my daughter. That's why I packed my bag. I...don't know how much longer I can...take it, either." She turns to the boy. "Will you stay with her, Inuyasha? Will you...help her?" she asks, stifling a sob. He doesn't need to respond--they both know the answer. Amorume wipes her eyes again and turns toward her father and son, who is standing by the car, holding a bag. "If she's not better by tomorrow, take Kagome to the hospital, Inuyasha." She pauses. "Can you find it?"

Inuyasha nods, fear obvious on his pale face. He's starting to panic. The hospital was on the way to Kagome's school. She had pointed it out to him, when he had walked her back home one day. He could find it easily. He shifts his feet slightly in the direction of Kagome's bedroom. Amorume gives him a watery smile.

"I'll let you go to her then, Inuyasha. If you need us, my sister's phone number is written on a pad of paper beside the phone. Just pick up the funny-shaped thing on top, and press the numbers you see." The hanyou nods--he wasn't quite sure what she was talking about, but he'd figure it out if he had to. Amorume reaches out and grabs his hand, squeezing it tightly before she heads for the car. Inuyasha is moving before it even leaves the property.

-----------------------------------

Kagome can't see anything. No--that's not right. She can see darkness. All around her. She feels like she's standing in a room with no door or windows. There's no light of any kind, and she doesn't know how big the room is. And there's no sound. That's probably what bothers her the most. She isn't afraid of the dark, but she'd come to associate danger with a lack of sound. But there was no danger here. There was only herself. And the blackness.

The last thing Kagome remembered was staring at a spot on the wall beside her bed. Her mind absently matched it with a tack that held a poster in place when she was younger, but now it was just a hole. Or a spot. Either one. Then the darkness. And herself. That was all there was.

But it didn't bother Kagome--except for the lack of sound. And time. She didn't know what time it was. Kagome thought that she was supposed to be somewhere...maybe. But she didn't know when, and besides, she didn't know what time it was. So she just sat in the blackness. Sometimes she would look around, but mostly she just sat.

_What is that?_ Kagome tilts her head. She hears it again. _It sounds like a river. A big river. The sound is...deep and rumbling_, she thinks, smiling to herself for having thought something the 'sound' sounded like. She frowns. Then she smiles. Then she frowns again. _What's making that sound?_

Kagome looks around, half-expecting to see a large stream flowing past her. She hears the rumble again--it's much closer. And louder. Kagome covers her ears. She frowns. She didn't like this sound. It was nice at first, but now it just hurts her ears. It comes again. It's all around her. Kagome doesn't like this. She shakes her head and starts to cry, her hands still covering her ears. _No. No--go away. I don't want you here. You're messing up my room..._

The sound booms again, physically rattling the girl. She yells. _"Go away! You're too loud! You..."_ She stops. The sound is familiar. She tilts her head again. _What was that? What did you say?_ Her curiosity is peaked now. It sounds like a voice. And it's quieter. It's not hurting her ears anymore.

"_Kagome..."_

Kagome frowns. _That's...me. Why does that voice know my name? _She frowns some more. _Do I know that voice?_

"_Kagome."_ Louder this time. Kagome looks around. The blackness is lighter. She hadn't noticed because she was listening to the sound.

"_Kagome."_ Even louder. But it doesn't hurt her ears. It feels familiar. She knows this voice. Kagome frowns--she's concentrating. She wants to know why she knows this voice. She's ignoring the blackness again, which just keeps getting lighter. The voice says her name again.

"Kagome." The voice is clear. It's deep. It's soft. It's...sad. Kagome knows this voice. It's said her name dozens of times. Hundreds of times. She loved the way it said her name. She closes her eyes. _Say it again..._

"Kagome." The girl's eyes snap open. She knows who this voice belongs to. She mumbles his name. The name she'd said dozens of times. Hundreds of times. She loved to say his name.

_Inuyasha... _"Inuyasha..."

-------------------------------------

Inuyasha breathes in deeply...slowly. _Kagome just said my name--I know she did... _The hanyou tries not to get too excited. It's taken him three hours to get this far.

When Inuyasha first entered Kagome's room, he felt physically sick at the overwhelming depression coming off the girl. He had to sit down for a few minutes before he could even think straight. _What happened, Kagome? You were fine when you left a few days ago. A little sad, because of Kikyo, maybe, but nothing like this..._

The hanyou had watched the girl lying on the bed. She was breathing shallowly, her thinning frame rising and falling slowly. He approached her. She gave no indication that she knew he was even there. Inuyasha touched her cheek. Her skin was pale and clammy. Her eyes were closed, but she wasn't sleeping. He could tell. Inuyasha didn't know how, but he knew she wasn't asleep.

He was scared. He'd never seen her like this. He didn't know how to fight this...this... _despair_. Inuyasha had never encountered anything like this... _Wait...yes I have. Well, not depression, but...madness. _He wondered if it was the same; if Kagome was locked away somewhere, like he was when he'd changed into a full demon. It was worth a try. Her family hadn't been able to reach her. He didn't know if he could do any better, but he'd be damned if he wasn't going to try. Kagome needed him. He just had to get to her. Somehow.

Inuyasha frowns. He isn't sure how to go about this. The hanyou tries to think back, to remember what Kagome had done, or what he had felt when he was in his demon form. He closes his eyes to concentrate--he had to. They were automatically drawn to the girl when they were open.

_I remember her voice...above all. Her sweet voice, saying my name. Then...her smell, but I doubt that'd work as well for her. Then...her touch. Kagome's soft skin...touching mine. Usually she'd hug me. That's when I think I felt her the most. _

Inuyasha opens his eyes and looks at the girl lying before him. He doesn't hesitate as he takes off Tetsusaiga and lays down behind the girl, wrapping his arms around her, pulling her back against him. He waits a few minutes, inhaling her scent, fear again gripping his heart as he smells the overpowering despair. Then he speaks--saying her name--over...and over...and over again. Until he hears his own.

-------------------------------------

"Kagome?" he asks tentatively. His voice was getting raw. He'd lost track of how many times he'd said Kagome's name. It had to be in the thousands by now, at least. He waits, his heart thumping madly in his chest. _Please respond, Kagome. Please..._

Inuyasha tightens his hold on her, burying his face in her neck when she doesn't say anything. He feels his eyes water, tears slowly sliding down his cheeks.

"Inuyasha..."

He gasps, his heart fluttering wildly again. He speaks softly. "I'm here, Kagome." He waits. And waits. Then...

"Inuyasha...?"

The half-demon breathes in deeply. He repeats his words. "I'm here, Kagome." And waits again. But she doesn't speak this time. Instead she inhales--deeply. Very deeply. Like she hadn't breathed in a long, long time.

Inuyasha loosens his arms around the girl as she breathes in. _Once_, _twice_... After the third time, Kagome seemed to have finally gotten enough air, and she goes back to her shallow breathing. The hanyou watches her for a moment, finally deciding that he wants to see her face. He raises himself up and looks over her shoulder. Inuyasha's breath catches in his throat.

Kagome's eyes are open.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Kagome blinks, wondering if the spot on the wall will go away if she closes her eyes_. It's still there..._ she thinks, opening them slowly. She can't see much--apart from the spot. Her eyes are centered on that point, and the rest of her view is fuzzy. She hears her name again.

"Kagome?"

The girl frowns. _Why does Inyasha keep saying my name? He sounds sad. And...scared. Why?_ _And...where is he? _Kagome is about to ask where he is and what's wrong with him, but the spot on the wall catches her attention. She forgets all about the hanyou, and concentrates on the spot again. She blinks, wondering if it will disappear.

---------------------------

"Kagome?"

Inuyasha is hovering over Kagome, watching her slowly close her eyes, then open them again. _Why does she keep doing that? That's like, the 10th time in two minutes. _He turns his head, wondering if the girl is looking at something. There's nothing in front of her but the bedroom wall. Inuyasha frowns and turns back to the girl. Her eyes are closed again. He shivers. The half-demon didn't like what he'd seen in Kagome's eyes. Or, what he didn't see. There was no light, no warmth. It was like she wasn't even there. Physically, yes, but her mind was still somewhere else. His frown deepening, Inuyasha wonders if he's doing the right thing when he lowers himself onto the bed--facing the girl.

-----------------------------------

Kagome opens her eyes. Her eyebrows furrow. The spot is gone--something is blocking it. She narrows her eyes, trying to figure out what she's looking at. Everything is fuzzy. Her view has silver at the edges, and dark gold at the center. But she can't make out what it is. The something moves, and she hears her name again.

"Kagome?"

The girl frowns even more in confusion. _That's Inuyasha saying my name. Is that blurry thing Inuyasha? _Kagome continues to stare, trying to remember what the half-demon looks like. _Long silver hair...dark amber eyes...freckles...and...dimples. Adorable ears on top of his head. Fangs. Bangs in his eyes..._

As Kagome recalls each of the hanyou's features, the blur in front of her starts to take shape and clear. She continues to stare as the boy's scared and worried face comes into focus. She smiles at him for a second, proud of being able to recall what the boy looks like, before frowning again. _What's wrong with Inuyasha? Why does he look like that?_

Kagome watches as a few tears slide off his face and onto her pillow. _Why is he crying? Inuyasha doesn't cry..._

Kagome closes her eyes as she feels something warm on her cheek. _That feels nice. Is Inuyasha doing that?_ She hears her name again.

"Kagome? Can you hear me, Kagome?" Inuyasha asks while stroking her cheek with his thumb. After several minutes, she nods at his question. Inuyasha sighs.

_She seems to recognize me, at least. But I think that's all. From Kagome's responses, it seems like everything takes a long time for her to process. Is that good? Or bad? Or neither?_ Hoping it's not the wrong decision, Inuyasha asks her another question.

"What's wrong, Kagome?"

-----------------------------------

_What's wrong? Did Inuyasha ask me what's wrong? _Kagome frowns. Inuyasha freezes, stopping his thumb from rubbing the girl's cheek. _Why would he ask me what's wrong?_

Kagome opens her eyes and focuses them on the hanyou's face. He still looks worried, but now he's also...alarmed. His eyes have widened and they're flickering back and forth between hers.

_Why does he look like that? And why does Inuyasha think something's wrong?_ Kagome keeps frowning while she wonders what the hanyou could be referring to. He's still looking at her. _Does he think something's wrong with me? There's nothing wrong with me... I..._ She pauses to scrutinize his face more closely. _He looks...worried. Why would Inuyasha be worried? Is he worried about me? Why? _

Kagomedoesn't want to see him like that. She doesn't want Inuyasha to worry about her, though she knows he does--constantly. She was always getting into trouble. But...this was different. The half-demon was...scared. Kagome didn't want him to be scared. Especially because of her. The girl slowly brings her hand up to her cheek, twining her fingers with his. Kagome wants him to stop worrying. She smiles.

Inuyasha is shocked. He gapes at her. That's the first movement Kagome's made all night. The hanyou tentatively smiles back, pulling their hands away from her cheek and setting them on the pillow between the two of them. He continues to watch her. She keeps smiling, though her eyes are still blank.

Inuyasha doesn't know what to do now. Kagome is..._awake_...and she recognizes him, but she's still not back to normal. The half-demon frowns to himself, trying to think of something else that will bring the girl back to reality. He decides to ask another question, hoping that this one won't confuse her. Inuyasha had become nervous after the last one, because Kagome had frowned at him. Taking a deep breath, he asks his question.

"Kagome, did something...happen to you?"

--------------------------------------

Kagome is still smiling. It's taking several minutes for Inuyasha's question to sink in.

_What? Did something...happen to me?_ Kagome's smile slowly dissolves into a frown. She can see Inuyasha. He looks...scared again. _What's wrong with him? Why does he keep looking at me like that? And why does he think something's happened to me? I'm perfectly fine. _Kagome narrows her eyes at the hanyou. _But those stupid bangs of his are always..._

Kagome's eyes widen. An image of Inuyasha, his golden eyes watching her through his bangs, flashes through her mind. She gasps.

Inuyasha freezes, his fingers unconsciously tightening around hers. _What happened? Kagome's eyes just...flickered. Does that mean she's...coming back? _He feels his heart thumping madly in his chest as he watches Kagome's eyes grow wider, and the light that he loves starts to return to them. Inuyasha can feel his own starting to water.

Kagome watches as tears fall down Inuyasha's cheek again. _I've seen him do that before... Last night... No. It was... Yes. It would have been...right now? He was crying because... because..._ Kagome closes her eyes and tightens her hand on Inuyasha's as her memories of the past few days flood through her mind. She turns her head into her pillow and breathes in deeply, trying to decipher the rush of emotions overwhelming her. After what seems like forever to the hanyou, she turns back to him, her eyes bright, as one image in particular stays in her mind. Kagome can't see the dimples right now, but the freckles are there, and his bangs are still hiding his eyes. She smiles. "Inuyasha."

--------------------------

Inuyasha stares at Kagome for a full minute before pulling her into a hug. He relaxes a little, running his hands through her hair, but doesn't let his guard down completely. It had taken him half the night to get her to speak, and the other half for her eyes to clear, so that he knew she had finally come back to herself. But Inuyasha didn't think the solution to Kagome's problem would be so simple. She wasn't telling him what was wrong, and he didn't for a second believe that she was back to normal. He continues to hold her, listening to the girl mumbling to herself.

_I...remember..._ Kagome thinks, closing her eyes as the past few days resurface in her mind, her hands unconsciously tightening on Inuyasha's hoari. _...Kikyo died, and I wanted to help Inuyasha. So...we...we...slept...together... And I did. I helped Inuyasha--he felt better. We were even gonna...we were gonna...'take it slow.' But...but...I lost my powers...and...I need them. We...had to take everything back... And...it hurt...it hurt...so much...and...No. No! I can't remember! I don't want to! It hurts too much! I can't stand it!_

Kagome starts to cry, her head buried in the half-demon's chest. Inuyasha doesn't move. He doesn't know what's going on, and he's afraid to do anything that might upset Kagome more. The girl continues to sob.

_I don't want to remember... No. It hurts...too much. I won't remember! _Kagome pushes away from the bewildered hanyou. She stares at him with wide eyes, the calm look that had been in them earlier quickly receeding as fear and sadness replaces it. She starts moving her head back and forth, saying 'no, no, no' under her breath as tears continue to fall from her eyes. Inuyasha pales at her reaction. Then he starts panicking.

Kagome is shaking her head, tears sliding down her face. Now she's mumbling the words 'last night' over and over again. Inuyasha tries to grab her hands, which are still trying to push her farther away, but the girl slaps at him, hitting the boy on the face and chest several times. Suddenly she stops, her eyes glazing over. Inuyasha feels his heart jump into his throat--the blank look he had seen when she first opened her eyes is coming back. _No..._

Desperate, Inuyasha's mind flashes back to the time he was turning into a full demon, and--also in desperation--Kagome had kissed him. The half-demon hesitates for only a second before he places his hands on Kagome's cheeks and pulls the girl into a kiss.

------------------------------

Kagome is back in her room. Darkness surrounds her. But she's not alone this time. She can feel Inuyasha, hugging her from behind, his hair spilling over both of their shoulders. Kagome tries to get away from him, but his arms are too strong.

"Please, Inuyasha. Please let me go. It hurts too much," she whispers, after a minute of silent struggling. The girl reluctantly gives up when he doesn't let go.

"No," he says, kissing her lightly on the cheek. Kagome can feel tears starting to form in her eyes. She wimpers softly. Inuyasha's grip tightens as he speaks to her.

"I can't let you go, Kagome. I need you. I need you beside me. I don't know what's wrong, but we'll get through it--I promise." Kagome is shaking her head. She's about to say 'no' when Inuyasha whispers to her. "Please, Kagome. I love you."

She gasps. She had forgotten. Inuyasha had said that to her right before she came back. She knew all this was in her head, but she also knew that what he'd said was true. He did love her. And he wasn't going to let her go. Not easily, at least. _No...not...easily. Not...ever, _she thinks. Kagome sighs, feeling her resolve giving in. She bows her head, tears flowing down her cheeks. "But...it hurts...so much..." she whispers.

"I know." Inuyasha says, laying his head beside hers. "But I'll help you--I promise. Just tell me, Kagome."

Kagome turns her head to face him. He does the same, his amber eyes staring intently into hers. She doesn't wonder how she can see him in the darkness, she only holds his gaze with hers. Something catches her eye and Kagome looks up, at the hanyou's forehead. A dark purple crescent moon and star are shining faintly underneath his bangs. Kagome gives a choked sigh and looks back down at his eyes.

"Okay," she whispers, pressing her lips to his.

* * *

Hrmmmmm??? Well--what'dya think? I'm not quite sure about this one, myself. But Kagome was obviously upset after the last chap, and I don't blame her. Would she really be depressed though? I wonder...

* * *


	7. Memories, Take Two

Here's #7 guys. It would have been up last night, but I was halfway through editing and deleted it somehow without saving. So I just decided to put it up tonight. Um...that's all. Enjoy!

* * *

Inuyasha feels Kagome kiss him back, pressing her lips softly against his. The hanyou pauses for a second before caressing hers--tasting their sweetness. He withdraws, wondering how he can feel so alive from such a simple touch, especially since Kagome is barely hanging on as it is, and Kikyo's been gone little more than a week. Slightly ashamed of his feelings--but not for the first time--Inuyasha opens his eyes, staring into the miko's dark ones. He holds in a relieved sigh--the light has returned, but now it's tainted by sadness. Overwhelming sadness.

"Kagome?" he asks tentatively. The half-demon is still holding her cheeks. Kagome stares at him, silent tears starting to fall as she closes her eyes. She clenches her fingers on his haori and buries her head in his chest, sobbing quietly. Inuyasha wraps his arms around her, holding the girl as tightly as he dares. "Kagome?" he asks again.

The girl doesn't respond. She continues to cry into the boy's chest for a long time, until light starts to flood into the room. Inuyasha simply holds her, figuring that it's better that Kagome is doing _something_ rather than nothing at all, even if it is crying. Finally her sobs die down, and she speaks, albeit very quietly.

"I'm sorry," she says, her voice hoarse from disuse.

_Sorry? Sorry for what?_ Inuyasha thinks, slowly pushing the girl away to look at her face. Her skin is pale and tear-stained, the skin under her eyes dark, the orbs themselves filled with pain. The demon feels his heart break. "What's going on, Kagome? What happened to you?" he asks quietly.

The girl closes her eyes, bowing her head. "That's...why I'm sorry...," she whispers. "...I can't tell you. Not yet, at least. It...hurts too much..."

"But..."

Kagome shakes her head, stopping the boy's protest. She waits several minutes before speaking. "No," she says quietly, looking up at him.

Inuyasha frowns and opens his mouth to say something, but Kagome puts a finger to his lips, her eyes losing focus as she stares at them. The half-demon freezes, afraid Kagome will slip back into herself again. After a moment, she blinks, biting her bottom lip. She forces her words out.

"I can't, Inuyasha. I...it's too soon. I don't think I'll...come back...if I talk about it now," she whispers, running her finger over his lips a few times before burying her head against him again. She takes a deep breath. "I'll be..._okay_...now... But I can't talk about it. Not yet. Not for...awhile."

Inuyasha doesn't move for several seconds. Letting out the breath he didn't know he was holding, he mumbles a soft 'okay' before hugging the girl. The pair stays this way until Kagome mutters something to the hanyou.

"What, Kagome?"

"I said, you'd better go tell the guys that I'll be here a few more days," she whispers. Inuyasha doesn't move.

"I'm not leaving you," he says, slightly annoyed. _How could Kagome even __**think**__ I'd leave her right now?_

Kagome breathes deeply into the half-demon's haori. "I just mean that you should let them know that we'll be here for a little longer. Just tell them I'm sick and need to stay in bed, or something," she mumbles. Inuyasha still doesn't move. "I'll be okay for 10 minutes. Go on," Kagome whispers, pushing away from the hanyou. He frowns at her, disbelief in his eyes. "Would you rather I go?" she says finally, rolling onto her back, her face sliding into a grimace.

Inuyasha growls and narrows his eyes at the girl before slowly getting off the bed. "You'd better be here when I come back," he says, pausing before he kneels beside the bed and kisses the girl lightly on the forehead. She gazes softly up at him, placing one hand on his cheek. The half-demon closes his eyes for a minute, tilting his head into the girl's palm. Kagome closes her eyes as well, feeling the hanyou reluctantly draw away after a few moments.

Kagome lays in bed, taking deep breaths. She suddenly realizes that she feels disgusting--like she hadn't taken a bath in a week. _I don't think I have, actually. Kikyo died, and..._ The young miko gasps and starts gulping air as fresh tears stream down her cheeks. She sobs for several minutes before gaining control over herself.

_How could I have been so stupid! Inuyasha shouldn't have to deal with this right now--he should be mourning over Kikyo! _The girl silently curses herself for putting the hanyou through this, resolving to help him again when she's regained her strength. _If I can...I don't know how I can help now...and...this feeling...I don't know if it will ever go away..._ Kagome thinks, referring to the emptiness inside.

Closing her eyes, the girl frowns as her mind wanders again to how dirty she must be, deciding that a bath might help her feel better. Kagome avoids thinking about the night she and Inuyasha spent together; right now, she can't handle the images trying to surface in her mind.

The miko grits her teeth together, shuddering when she tries to sit up, but falling back as she is too weak to move right now. Glancing to her bedside table, Kagome sees Tetsusaiga leaning against it and reaches over to the sword. Using it for leverage, the girl manages to fall onto the floor, then crawl out of her room and towards the bathroom. She's barely into the hallway when she hears Inuyasha's voice.

"Kagome?" he asks, slightly panicked. The girl can't answer because she's out of breath. Inuyasha walks to her bedroom door, kneeling by the miko's side when he sees her lying on the floor. "Kagome? Are you alright? What are you doing?"

The girl hears the note of worry and disapproval in his voice. Her cheeks gain a reddish tint as he helps her sit up against the wall. "I...didn't mean to scare you. I...wanted to take a bath," she says quietly, breathing heavily as she glances down at the sword in her lap. Kagome looks up when the hanyou doesn't respond.

"Can you even take a bath?" he asks after a minute, the muscle in his jaw twitching. Inuyasha has a small frown on his face and seems to be debating something.

Kagome stares at him, confused. It slowly dawns on her that he's right--she could hardly move right now. It would take her forever to get to the bathroom, get in the tub... The girl closes her eyes, mumbling a sad 'no' as she leans her head against the wall. She fights the tears slowly welling in her eyes. _Is every little thing gonna make me cry? I'll never..._

"Can you stand? If I set you on your feet, I mean?" Inuyasha asks, interrupting her thoughts. Kagome looks at him, confused again. Her eyes widen as she realizes what he's asking. She gapes, noting the blush creeping onto his cheeks. The girl slowly closes her mouth and nods, tearing up again at what he's offering to do. "Okay," the hanyou says, taking his sword back into her room before lifting the girl to her feet. She sways against him before gaining her balance, struggling to stay upright.

"Are you sure?" she whispers, looking directly into Inuyasha's golden eyes. He stares at her for a few seconds before nodding.

"Are you?" he asks, a slightly devilish grin crossing his lips. The look is somewhat muted because of the blush on his cheeks. Kagome drops her eyes to their hands, which are clasped so that she doesn't fall over. Taking a deep breath, the girl nods, then closes her eyes.

Inuyasha waits a few seconds before removing his hands from hers, making sure she doesn't fall before he gently lifts Kagome's shirt over her head and drops it onto the floor. The miko shivers.

"Are you cold?" Inuyasha asks worredly. Kagome shakes her head slightly.

"No. Just...nervous, I guess," she says, looking up at the boy. Inuyasha frowns.

"Do you want me to st...?"

"No."

The hanyou and the miko stare at one another for several seconds before he nods, wrapping his hands around the girl's waist and unzipping her skirt, letting it slide down her legs to the floor. Kagome feels his claws slide gently up her back, fumbling with the clasp to her bra for a few seconds before she feels the undergarment loosen around her torso. Inuyasha lets his hands rest against her bare back; she can feel them shaking.

"I think _you're _nervous, Inuyasha," she whispers, letting her face rest against his neck. She closes her eyes, inhaling the scent of pine and dirt. There's also something sweet, but she can't place it.

"_Hell_, yes," he mutters, waiting a few seconds before stepping back and watching the bra fall to the floor. Dragging his eyes back up, Inuyasha tries not to stare at Kagome's bare chest, but fails miserably.

"You're staring, you know," she whispers, watching the hanyou's eyes snap up to hers as his face turns a bright red color.

"S...sorry," he mumbles, running one hand through his hair as he tries to look anywhere but at Kagome's exposed breasts.

"You still have one more piece to go," she says. Inuyasha's cheeks darken even more.

The boy closes his eyes for a second, willing himself to keep calm. His heart beating furiously in his chest, the hanyou opens his eyes, locking them with Kagome's chocolate ones. He steps closer to the girl and puts his hands around both of her hips, sliding his fingers beneath her underwear. He gently pulls them down her legs, stopping when his nose is level with her belly button--letting the garment fall the rest of the way to the floor. Just resisting the urge to kiss her stomach, Inuyasha stands back up, having never lost eye contact with Kagome.

Idly wondering why the girl doesn't seem to be as bothered by their predicament as he is, the half-demon gently places one arm around her shoulders--the other beneath her knees--and lifts her into his arms, smiling a little to himself when Kagome rests her head against his chest. Attribuiting her lack of embarrassment to her sadness, Inuyasha walks into the bathroom and sets the miko carefully into the bathtub, her head resting against one end, her hair spilling over the edge.

Kagome watches as Inuyasha turns both of the nobs on the tub, glancing at her to see if the temperature's alright. She nods at him, then watches as he takes off his haori and pulls up the sleeves to his kosode.

"There's towels in the closet in the hallway," she whispers. "And there's a clean pair of underwear in the side-zippered pocket of my pack, and a pink robe hanging on the back of my bedroom door."

Inuyasha nods and leaves the bathroom to retrieve the items. He returns a few minutes later, setting a couple of towels on the sink, and her underwear and robe on a small chair in the corner. He turns off the water in the tub, then kneels beside the girl and helps her into a sitting position. Sensing the hanyou's confusion as to what he's supposed to do next, Kagome lifts her hand and points to a pouf hanging from the showerhead above them.

"Take that and pour some of that on it," she says, dropping her finger to a bottle sitting on the edge of the tub.

Inuyasha stands and takes the loofah, then dunks it under the water before squeezing some of the body wash Kagome was talking about onto it. Replacing the bottle, the hanyou lifts the miko's hair and begins rubbing her back, watching iridescent bubbles build up on her skin. Switching the pouf to his other hand, Inuyasha does Kagome's arms and legs, hesitating a moment before placing his hand on her neck. The girl turns her head and locks her gaze with his as Inuyasha washes her chest and stomach. Rinsing out the loofah, the half-demon gently washes off the suds covering Kagome's body, then uses a small cup to soak her hair before reaching for the shampoo.

Pouring a small amount in his palm, Inuyasha runs his hands through the girl's dark locks, working up a lather. Kagome closes her eyes.

"I may have to have you do this everyday, Inuyasha," she says, glancing sideways at him. The boy blushes.

"I don't think I could handle this everyday," he mumbles, dunking his hands under the water to rinse them before reaching for the cup to do the same to Kagome's hair.

"You seem to be doing fine so far."

Inuyasha raises his eyes to hers, letting their gazes connect for a few seconds before he grunts non-commitally and starts to pour water over her head. He watches the liquid cascade over her face and shoulders and down her chest and back, his breath catching in his throat as he realizes yet again how beautiful Kagome is. As if she can read his thoughts, Kagome says, "Do you think I'm pretty, Inuyasha?"

The hanyou freezes, frantically searching for an answer that won't upset Kagome or get him 'sat,' but also one that will allow him to avoid the truth. He's just decided to grunt again, when the girl turns her dark eyes toward him, her sadness echoed in the small frown on her lips. Inuyasha's resolve crumbles into dust.

"Yes," he whispers, pouring more water over her head and watching it run down her body again. He frowns slightly. _I'm gonna have to stop doing that..._

Kagome waits a few seconds for the water to run off her face before she responds. "Really? Because you always tell me I'm not," she mumbles, dropping her eyes to the beads hanging around Inuyasha's neck.

The hanyou stares at the girl, the cup hanging loosely in his hand. He can't stand seeing the dejected look on her face. "I...lied," Inuyasha whispers, silently praying that she won't ask why. _Don't ask why...please...not why..._

"Why?" Kagome says, a slight pleading tone in her voice as she looks up at him. Inuyasha can feel his cheeks heating up as he struggles to avoid telling her the truth. At the look in her eyes, though, he knows he's fighting a losing battle.

"Because...it was...easier...," he says, looking down at the girl's ribs. He frowns. "You need to eat, Kagome. You were thin before, but now...," he trails off, hoping that she'll pick up the change in subject. No such luck.

"I can eat after. What was easier?" Kagome asks, staring intently at the hanyou.

The boy sighs, standing and letting the water drain out of the tub. He gently picks Kagome up and sets her on her feet, grabbing a towel to dry the girl off. The miko closes her eyes as Inuyasha trails the soft material over her body, feeling goosebumps rise on her skin as his hands pass over it.

"Cold?"

"No," Kagome whispers, opening her eyes to gaze at the boy as he stands slowly in front of her, the towel between them. She sees Inuyasha's eyes widen slightly as her meaning sinks in, his cheeks coloring again. Taking a deep breath, the hanyou quickly wraps the towel around her body, using the other to dry her hair. When he's finished, Inuyasha helps Kagome into her underwear and robe, then makes her sit on the chair so he can comb her hair. He stops when he hears her crying softly.

"Kagome?" he asks, kneeling in front of her. The girl doesn't look at him for a few moments.

"I'm sorry," she says again.

Inuyasha frowns. _Now what's she sorry for? _"Why?"

Kagome looks up, her lashes glistening from the tears. "You shouldn't have to deal with this...right now...," she mumbles, dropping her head again.

The hanyou stares, puzzled as to what she's referring to. It slowly dawns on him that Kagome is talking about Kikyo, whom he hadn't thought about since he came back from the Feudal Era. The boy honestly doesn't know what to think about that, since his mind hadn't strayed from the miko since she died. Taking a deep breath, he tells Kagome the truth.

"A...it...helps, actually, I think. Taking care of you. I don't have to think about her...so much," he whispers, earning a shocked gape from the girl before him. Kagome opens and closes her mouth a few times, but no words come out. Inuyasha smiles a little before going back to her hair. "Don't worry about me--I'll be fine."

Kagome turns and looks up at him, her eyes soft. "But...I do," she whispers. Inuyasha stares at her for a moment before he hesistantly leans down and kisses the girl's forehead.

"I know," he murmurs, catching Kagome's gaze as he stands back up. He smiles again. "Now let's finish here so you can eat something. You're too thin."

Kagome turns back around so the half-demon can get to her hair. She closes her eyes, reveling in the feel of his hands on her head.

---------------------------------------

"You don't have to, Inu..."

"Is that what you want?"

Kagome hesitates before she answers. "Yes, but..."

"Okay, then," the hanyou says, carrying the girl into the living room and sitting down on the couch with her in his lap.

"Inu, you really don't..."

Inuyasha raises his brows at her. "Since when did you start calling me 'Inu'? And yes, I do," he replies, laying back on the cushions and situating the girl on top of him, between himself and the back of the couch. "I told you before, this is helping me as much as you."

Kagome frowns at him through her blush. "I think...because you cut me off before," she says, referring to the half-demon's nickname. She searches his face. "Thank you," she whispers, snuggling down into the crook of his arm. "For...everything, Inuyasha." The boy smiles, gently running his claws through the girl's still-damp hair.

After Kagome's bath, Inuyasha had taken the girl to the kitchen to find her something to eat. The miko had almost started crying again when her eyes fell on the bag of chocolate chips sitting on a shelf, but she just managed to keep them in check. Inuyasha had noticed, of course, but hadn't said anything. The hanyou had decided that Kagome was fragile, and didn't want to push her into explaining or doing anything until she was ready.

Since Inuyasha couldn't cook and Kagome didn't have the strength to, she directed him in making quite a large hoagie, which they split--the hanyou getting the lion's share of the sandwich. Even though he objected, the miko figured that he still hadn't eaten since before Kikyo died, and she wasn't all that hungry, anyway. The demon had put up a fuss when she still didn't eat all of her portion, frowning when she said she didn't think she could keep much more down. Searching the fridge, Inuyasha asked if Kagome thought she could keep down some fruit, bringing out some grapes when she said 'maybe.' He then proceeded to feed her half the bowl. If Kagome wasn't still depressed, she might have smiled at his thoughtfulness.

After lunch, Kagome had shown Inuyasha how to use the phone, and they had called her aunt's house. The girl could hear her mother crying on the other end, thanking Inuyasha over and over, and saying that they'd be back tomorrow afternoon. Kagome said she and Inuyasha would be here, as the miko was still too weak to move around much. The pair had to hang up on Amorume, who was crying so much that they couldn't get a 'goodbye' in.

The young miko had yawned widely after the call, saying that she'd like to get some sleep. Inuyasha had picked her up and headed for the stairs, but Kagome said she'd rather lie on the couch, as it would be less awkward if her family saw them there than in her bed. Inuyasha had gone silent, freezing with her in his arms. Kagome silently smacked herself for her slip, hoping the hanyou wouldn't run screaming from the house. Instead he had relaxed and asked if she wanted to be on top or bottom, a sly grin on his face. Kagome had blushed deeply, thinking that the half-demon had spent far too much time with Miroku. He had headed for the living room then.

"What was easier?" Kagome asks suddenly. She had forgotten about the question when Inuyasha had dried her off. She feels the hanyou sigh.

_I thought she had forgotten about that..._ Inuyasha squirms, fidgeting with the hem of his sleeve. "I...uh..." Kagome turns her head to look at him, catching his gaze. _Damn those eyes of hers..._ the hanyou thinks, knowing that he's about to tell her everything, and dreading it.

Taking a breath, he whispers, "...it...was easier if I told myself that you weren't pretty. Because then...I could convince myself that I didn't like you, Kagome. That I wasn't... that I wasn't...fall..."

Inuyasha has stopped running his hand through her hair, and is now resting it on the top of Kagome's head. He's still looking into her eyes, his heart thumping painfully in his chest. The boy takes another deep breath, hoping the girl won't be too hurtful when he admits his feelings and she rejects him. Instead, he feels a soft hand on his lips, stopping his words.

Kagome lifts herself up to kiss Inuyasha lightly on the cheek. She gives him a very small smile before snuggling back into his arm. It's her first one since she woke up.

* * *

Ok? 


	8. Hidden Thoughts

Here's #8. Ya'll probably be confused at the end, b/c I'm purposely leaving some things out, but you'll find out about them later. I'm gonna start on chap 9, b/c I feel like I didn't put enough in this one, and I need a little bit of action. :) Wait...that didn't come out right. Oops. Oh, well. Dozo!

Oh, thank-you to everyone who has reviewed! You guys are awesome and I love you all, even though I keep forgetting to thank you. It's usualy late--like right now--and the thought goes right out of my head. So, thanks all you guys!

kagome1312, kumikonhan, Kagolotasha, CloudsAaeris909, Kitsune Lizzie, AngelofMist, Amaya Mishugosha, dead fall, DearestEli, Thehowlingxoxoxox, FMAInuOtaku, Kage of the village hidden in the Blood.

Thank you so much!!!!!! ;3

* * *

"_What? Where am I?"_

_Inuyasha slowly turns in a circle, trying to see through the white, hazy fog surrounding him. He takes a few steps in one direction, but everything still looks as though he's standing in a cloud. Frowning, the hanyou tentatively calls out._

"_Hello?" _

_No answer. Straining his ears, the boy calls again, louder this time. _

"_HELLO?"_

_At the far edge of his hearing, the half-demon catches a faint word, spoken in what he assumes is a woman's voice. An unhappy woman's voice._

"_Hello?"_

_Frowning again, Inuyasha starts to walk in the direction he thought he heard the voice. After a few seconds, a small sob is taken in by his alert ears. The demon stops, his nose having also caught a whiff of...something; it's familiar, but he can't place it. _

_Now following his nose, the hanyou walks until a dark form appears before him, on it's knees in the fog. Inuyasha stops and speaks to the figure. _

"_Uh...Miss? Are you okay?"_

_The woman looks up, tears sliding down the bottom half of her cheeks, her lips turned downward in a sad frown, her hands clasped to her chest. The half-demon can't see anything more of the woman, because she's wearing a black cloak, with a hood covering her head, hiding her eyes and nose. _

_Biting her bottom lip, the woman says, "Have you seen him? My...little boy? He...he's lost..." _

_Inuyasha stares, wondering what's going on. Hiding his uneasiness at not knowing where he is, how he got there, or how to leave, the hanyou says, "No. I haven't seen anyone but you." Inuyasha is about to ask who she is, but the woman starts crying again. _

"_I...just want to find...my boy...," she sobs, burying her face in her hands. "I...don't know where...he is..."_

_The hanyou fidgets in place. He __**hated**__ it when women cried. It always made him uncomfortable. Kneeling beside the woman, he tentatively places a hand on her shoulder, surprised when she doesn't shy away. He speaks softly, so as not to upset her further. _

"_I...haven't seen him...your son... But I can help you find him...if you want." _

_The woman looks up at the half-demon, staring at him for a few seconds, though the boy can't see her eyes. She slowly nods and brings her hands up to wipe her tears away before standing. _

"_Do...you really think we can find him?" she asks, her tone carrying the slightest hint of hope. _

_Inuyasha frowns for a few seconds before nodding. "Yes... It...may just take awhile," he says, eyeing the swirling whiteness surrounding them. The hanyou sighs, wondering if the two of them should just start walking around and hope they run into the boy. Inuyasha takes one step away from the woman--who is now wringing her hands together--and catches her scent again. _

_Wait. No...that's not __**her**__ scent. It's...different..._

_The half-demon takes a few more steps away, holding his hand up to stop the woman from following. He makes sure he can still see her before sticking his nose in the air, and taking a deep breath. _

_There... _

_Turning to his left, Inuyasha motions for the woman to follow him, and starts walking into the fog, making sure she's never more than a few feet behind him. After what seems like forever, Inuyasha finally catches the faintest hint of a sob. He stops. _

"_Call your son," he says quietly. The woman nods and opens her mouth, but the hanyou doesn't hear anything. He frowns and is about to ask if she can say his name again, when a small voice echoes back from the fog._

"_Mommy?"_

_The woman sobs and repeats the child's name, but again, Inuyasha can't hear it. The boy, however, can._

"_Mommy?!" he says, more insistent._

_Inuyasha turns toward the voice and leads the woman through the fog again, spending only minutes on this walk. Through the cloud, a small form can be seen--sitting down, his knees drawn up to his body with his arms wrapped around them. The boy is rocking slowly back and forth, and has obviously been crying. _

_The half-demon has just enough time to take in the boy's dark hair and eyes before the woman goes flying past him to embrace her son. Inuyasha stops where he is, not wanting to intrude on the reunion, but the woman beckons him forward. _

"_How...how can I ever repay you? For leading me to my son?" she asks, new tears sliding down her face and into the boy's hair. He's clinging to her, sobbing quietly into his mother's cloak. The boy slowly pulls back and looks up at the hanyou, tears glistening on his cheeks as he whispers a quiet 'thank you.' _

_Inuyasha watches the boy, wondering why he looks so familiar. He shrugs off the feeling. Probably ran into them in a village or something... He nods at the woman. _

"_No problem," he says, shrugging. The woman smiles._

"_Well, thank you, anyway. I could never have found him without you," she says softly, making the hanyou blush a little. She smiles again. "Inuyasha?"_

"_Yeah?"_

"_You can wake up now..." _

The hanyou wakes with a start, gazing confusedly at his surroundings until he remembers where he is. He frowns, trying to remember when exactly it was that he fell asleep.

_I remember...Kagome kissing me on the cheek...then she laid back down... _

Inuyasha looks down, his face instantly turning scarlet as he sees the miko and the mess he's gotten himself into.

_Kagome's gonna kill me..._

_--------------------_

Trying to look anywhere except at the girl lying beside him, the hanyou focuses his eyes on a portrait of Kagome's family, taken a few years before the girl fell through the well. She and Sota are standing in front of Amorume and Kagome's Gramps, huge grins on their faces. The kids are wearing formal kimonos, the adults more modern clothing. Inuyasha feels a smile tug at his lips. Even at the younger age, he could tell that the girl was going to be beautiful. He makes a mental note to ask the miko about the picture someday before glancing back down, the half-demon's cheeks warming up again as he studies his and the girl's current..._positions._

Kagome is lying on her back, between Inuyasha--who is lying on his side--and the back of the couch. The pair's legs are wrapped together, alternating back and forth. The girl's head is on Inuyasha's bicep, her right arm over her head, her's and the boy's fingers twined together. The digits of their other hands are also interlocked, and resting on the girl's stomach. The problem with this is that Kagome's robe is not between their hands and her skin. The miko's clothing has come open, leaving her chest, stomach, and abdomen exposed, from the insides of her breasts to the top of her underwear, where the robe closes again.

Inuyasha takes a deep breath and tries to untangle himself from the girl. He stops when Kagome's fingers tighten on his, a small frown crossing her face. The boy freezes when she turns her head and snuggles into him--between his neck and shoulder--her soft breath making goosebumps rise on his skin. Inuyasha closes his eyes, savoring this intimate moment.

All too soon, the hanyou hears a quick intake of breath, followed by a couple of deep breaths. Kagome stays close to him for several minutes, simply breathing in and out--very slowly. Inuyasha is wondering if the girl is actually awake, when she suddenly pulls away from him and raises her eyes to his. Inuyasha can't keep the frown off his face; there's still obvious sadness behind her chocolate gaze.

The miko and the half-demon continue to stare, simply gazing at each other. After several minutes, Kagome lets a small frown cross her lips, and turns her head to look down her body.

Inuyasha closes his eyes as his cheeks redden again, praying that he'll still be able to walk when Kagome gets finished with him. He gets the shock of his life instead.

"Inuyasha? Will you...kiss me?"

-----------------------

The demon looks back down--completely dumfounded--his mouth open slightly. His golden eyes are wide, and the bright color on his cheeks has been replaced by a very pale one. He blinks a couple of times, wondering if he's imagining things.

_Kagome...__**wants**__ to kiss me?!?_ "Wh...what?" he squeaks. It's taking his brain a few minutes to deal with this development.

Kagome tears her gaze away from his and stares at the ceiling instead. "You...don't have to...," she mumbles, releasing his right hand and using the back of the couch to pull herself into a sitting position. The girl gasps a few times to get her breath, then looks down at their legs and left hands, still twined together. It doesn't seem to bother her that most of her front is exposed.

Inuyasha watches the miko struggling to hide the tears forming in her eyes, and makes his decision right then. He sits up slowly and brings his free hand to Kagome's cheek to get her to look at him. The hanyou can see a great depth of despair beneath the girl's tears, and hopes he's doing the right thing as he leans closer to her.

"O...k...," he whispers, his voice catching.

Kagome looks at him, her dark eyes glassy, tears still threatening to form. Inuyasha leans forward, swallowing the lump in his throat just before his lips touch hers.

The pair closes their eyes as he makes contact. The half-demon breathes shallowly a few times, before he feels the girl's lips part slightly and his lips slip between hers. He pulls on her gently, the girl responding by doing the same. The boy can feel his heart beating loudly in his chest.

_Am I really doing this? Am I really kissing Kagome?! _

The two had kissed before--briefly--but it was nothing like this. Inuyasha knew he had fallen for the girl--and had even fantasized about her--but he never expected his dreams to start becoming reality. The pair had a connection he couldn't explain, but he was certainly feeling that and more right now.

Thinking that he's getting far too comfortable with what's happening between himself and Kagome, Inuyasha tries to pull away--but the miko fists her hands in his kosode and doesn't let him move. She deepens the kiss, letting her tongue explore the edges of the boy's lips. Inuyasha gasps, his heart rate skyrocketing as he feels an unfamiliar warmth spread throughout his body.

Without realizing what he's doing, the hanyou slides his hand from the girl's cheek to the back of her neck, forcing her into even closer contact with him while simultaneously pushing her back against the couch, his other arm wrapped around her torso under the robe. The half-demon hears a small moan from the girl's throat, which does nothing to help his fast-growing desire for her. Neither does the fact that Kagome's breasts are pressed firmly against his chest.

_You shouldn't be doing this...Kagome needs help right now..._

Inuyasha's conscience interrupts, snapping the boy back to reality. He struggles for several minutes before wrenching himself away from the girl and resting his forehead against her neck, both of them panting slightly.

"Damn, Kagome...," he mumbles, as they both try to get their breathing back to normal.

Inuyasha looks up after a minute, as he felt a dampness on his arm. He frowns. Tears are still sliding down Kagome's face.

The girl seems to sense his sudden bewilderment and opens her eyes. Inuyasha blinks in surprise. He's sure that some of the despair that was there earlier has disappeared.

Kagome raises her arms and wraps them around the half-demon's neck, pulling him into a tight hug. She whispers. "Arigato...amai...ren'ai."

_Thank you...sweet...love._

---------------------

Inuyasha frowns. He and Kagome were back on the couch, him lying on his back, the girl resting on his chest. The contraption called a 'T.V.' was on, though neither one was really paying attention to it. The boy was thinking, and Kagome was simply lying there, tapping her fingers on his chest every few seconds.

The pair had gotten up shortly after breaking their kiss earlier in the morning, and the hanyou had helped the girl get upstairs and dressed. This had embarrassed Inuyasha again, but Kagome still didn't seem to notice. To the boy, it was almost as if it didn't matter that he had a full view of her body--like he had seen it before. This puzzled the half-demon, because--though he had seen her briefly several times--he knew he'd never gotten that good of a view before. Not that he minded, really.

Kagome could walk today--though slowly--and she got winded after only a few minutes of activity. The girl was quickly getting better, though, as she could go from the kitchen to the living room shortly after they had eaten breakfast, without a problem. Kagome had made them a couple of cans of biscuits, saying she was 'cheating,' since she didn't make them from scratch; Inuyasha had just agreed with her, since he didn't know what that meant.

Now they were killing time until the girl's family came home, probably not for a few hours yet. Inuyasha was thinking over the past few days, trying to figure out what had happened to Kagome. Though the girl's physical condition was improving, her eyes had not changed since their kiss. Her normally bright, chocolate gaze was dull, except for the small spark the half-demon had seen afterward. This puzzled him as well. Did that simple gesture bring some of the life back into the girl?

Her facial expression was blank, too. She had given Inuyasha half a smile when he'd almost confessed his feelings, but that was the most emotion he had seen from the girl since she had 'woken up.' Even during the kiss, Kagome's body had responded, but her face didn't. This upset the half-demon, possibly even more than the lack of warmth in her eyes. He had come to count on the beautiful smile the girl gave him--sometimes even when he was being a jerk; it always made him feel as if he could do anything. Inuyasha was slowly getting the idea that he wasn't going to be seeing her smile for a long time, and that thought alone depressed him deeply.

Glancing down, the hanyou notices the girl tapping her finger against his ribs again, then holds her breath for a few seconds. _What is she doing? _He watches her for several minutes before it dawns on him what she's trying to do. Inuyasha raises his brows in surprise.

-----------------------

_Bu, bump. Bu, bump. Bu, bump. _Tap, tap. Tap, tap. Tap, tap.

Kagome lightly pokes Inuyasha's ribs with her finger, in time to his heartbeat. Every few seconds she'll hold her breath, willing her heart to beat with his. The girl had heard of this, but had never tried it. Now seemed as good a time as any, as she needed to keep her mind occupied, and not let it wander to certain topics.

One was 'The Real Night,' as Kagome had started referring to it in her mind. That was night she and Inuyasha had spent together. Thinking about it would send the girl down the road to depression again--a place she didn't think she'd return from twice.

Another was 'The Kiss,' but the girl was avoiding that topic for a different reason. Kagome had requested that from Inuyasha, simply to have something to hold onto; something she could look back on and smile about--years from now--when she was with a _human_, since she couldn't have who she really wanted.

The problem was, Kagome had forgotten how much she loved the feel of his lips on hers, and his hands on her body. Once the hanyou's lips touched her, the reason for her current situation went right out of her head, and the girl had no intention of stopping Inuyasha. She was going to let him go as far as he wanted, and not object one bit.

Kagome curses herself for being so stupid. The miko was going to have to watch herself and make sure that the same thing didn't happen again, or she would end up in the same place. Not to mention that the guys wouldn't be able to locate the jewel shards, or purify them once they defeated Naraku, if she lost her powers again. A new thought suddenly enters the girl's head.

_Do I even need my powers? After we defeat Naraku, I mean? We need to use the Jewel pretty soon after we defeat him, so that other demons won't come after it, but what other reason do I need them for? I...probably won't stay in the Feudal Era, and even if I do, Inuyasha will watch over me...so why do I need them?_

Kagome blinks a few times, wondering if the idea forming in her head was even possible, since Inuyasha was part of it. If he didn't want the same thing, there was no point, really. The girl makes a mental note to ask him in a few months, when and if she'd told him about her present situation.

-------------------

"Owwww...," Inuyasha grunts. "That hurts, you know." The hanyou turns his head to look at the girl, but she just stares at him blankly.

"Sorry," she says, going back to combing the boy's hair.

Inuyasha was sitting in the floor, wearing a pair of boxers and a t-shirt Amorume had bought shortly after the hanyou had first come through the well. Kagome was untangling his damp hair, as the boy had just taken a shower. He had sat up on the couch suddenly, mumbling something about wanting to take a bath. The miko had simply nodded, and told him where the clothes were if he wanted to wash his robes while he was here. The half-demon had nodded before almost sprinting from the room.

Kagome had wondered if she had something to do with it, as the girl had gotten her heartbeat to match the boy's a few minutes earlier. It had been a calming thing for the girl, making her feel more relaxed than she had been in awhile. The miko worried about this for close to a half-hour, hugging one of the couch pillows tightly before Inuyasha came back. He had brought his robes, Kagome's clothes, and also her bedsheets, but dropped them all at the look on her face, rushing to kneel by her side, asking if she was 'okay.'

Kagome had been thoroughly confused by his actions, but told him that she was fine, and didn't mention that his eyes betrayed the fact that he had been crying. When he didn't explain, the girl decided that maybe he had something he needed to work through, too, and didn't ask about it. The girl had shown Inuyasha how to use the washer and dryer then, in case he ever wanted to do laundry on his own, to which she got a 'Yeah, right' look. Now the girl was combing out the half-demon's hair, and was struggling to keep her tears at bay. Suddenly, she can't take it anymore.

Kagome stifles a cry, her eyes watering as the image of the boy lying face down on her bed--naked--with his hair spilling down his back, pops into her head. She drops the comb and buries her head in her hands, grinding her teeth together to keep from crying. It doesn't work.

Kagome had been with Inuyasha, and she knew she was ruined because of it. The miko would never want anyone else--powers or no powers.

Inuyasha turns around, alarm evident on his face as he watches the girl sobbing uncontrollably. He seems to know that he'll get no answer if he asks he what's wrong, so the boy wraps his arm around the Kagome's waist and drags her off the couch into his lap. He cradles her head to his chest as she wraps her arms around him and cries into his t-shirt.

This is how Amorume, Sota, and Kagome's Gramps find the pair, when they come home two hours later.

* * *

Gonna start on #9 now... ;) 


	9. Before We Go

Here's #9. I said I was gonna give you guys two chaps in a row. I was gonna add another part to the end, but it ended up being 3 more pages, so I just decided to stop at the section before. It leaves a little tiny cliffy. Um...I think that's all. Dozo!

* * *

"No, mom. I can't tell you."

"But, Kagome..."

"No."

Amorume sighs. She and Kagome are sitting at the kitchen table, two empty mugs of tea in front of them. The girl's mother had been trying to get her daughter to tell her what had happened, but Kagome refused to do so. She said that when she was ready to talk about it, Inuyasha would be the first and only person she told. Amorume had been upset at this. She thought her daughter trusted her.

Kagome sighs at the look her mother is giving her. She sits back in her chair, pressing her thumbpads into her eyes. The girl did not need this right now. Her family had come home to find her sitting in Inuyasha's lap, their arms around each other. Thankfully, Kagome had stopped crying by then, but was still very upset.

The girl had forced herself away from the hanyou to greet her family, sending him a look in the process that told him she obviously didn't want to leave. He had simply nodded, silently telling her that he understood. Kagome's mom, brother, and grandfather had cried over her--making the miko even more upset--asking if she was going to be okay now, and what had happened. The girl said she was going to be fine, but refused to talk about what had upset her. She had hidden her emotions fairly well, though she had a struggle to keep them in check.

Kagome's Gramps had then retreated to his room to pray for his grand-daughter, and Inuyasha had taken Sota outside to play so that Kagome and her mom could talk. The problem was, Kagome didn't have much to talk about. She trusted her mother, of course, but this was something private between Inuyasha and herself. He had to know first, and maybe---a very long time from now-- the girl could reveal what had actually happened to send her into depression. The only reason she had told Amorume the first time was because she wasn't yet old enough for certain..._precautions_. She thinks it's ironic that if she lived in the Feudal Era, she would have a couple of them by now.

_Well...I won't ever have to worry about that..._ the girl thinks wryly, trying to keep her patience, which was wearing thin. She had already told her mother 'no' three times, and she was going to snap if she had to do so again. The girl was barely keeping it together, and she was currently separated from Inuyasha, which made her feel even worse. Kagome didn't know why being apart from the hanyou made her feel more empty inside, the miko just knew that if she didn't see him soon, she was going to break down again.

"Kagome..."

"Stop, mom," the girl says quietly, raising her narrowed eyes to Amorume. Her mother raises her brow at her daughter's hostile expression. Kagome had only ever lost her temper while in the Feudal Era, and the older woman had never seen the miko's anger.

"I am _not_ going to tell anyone right now. Other than Inuyasha, maybe not _ever_. It's between me and him, and no one else. So please, _drop it_," the girl says politely, but firmly.

Amorume stares at her daughter with wide eyes before nodding. They hear a sudden _thunk_, and turn to the doorway on the other side of the table, where Sota has just dropped his soccer ball. Inuyasha is standing behind him. Kagome pales.

The miko can see the surprise in his eyes--both boys obviously heard her last sentence. The hanyou's lips are parted a small space, and he tries to mouth something several times before taking a deep breath and trying again. "M...me?" he chokes, confusion evident in his voice. Inuyasha stares at the miko, waiting for an answer that Kagome isn't ready to give.

The girl hesitates a fraction of a second before bolting from the table, her sobs carrying on the air until Kagome closes the door to her room.

------------------

"Kagome?"

Inuyasha tests the doorknob and is surprised to find it unlocked. He slowly opens the door and looks into the girl's room, seeing her lying face-down on her bed. She's not moving.

"Kagome?" he asks again, slowly stepping into the room and praying that she hasn't left him again. He breathes shallowly for several very long minutes, until he hears a muffled cry from the girl. Feeling relief flood through him, the hanyou waits a few seconds before closing the door and crawling onto the bed--lying down on top of the miko.

Inuyasha thinks that he's seriously over-stepping some boundaries, but has a feeling that Kagome isn't going to mind. He's right; she doesn't.

The girl turns her head to the side as Inuyasha brings his up to her level, sticking his nose and mouth against the side of her neck and resting his weight on her. She looks at him out of the corner of her eye.

"You're...heavy...," she breathes, earning a small smirk from the boy before he adjusts his position so that most of his weight is on his legs, which are straddling the miko.

"Better?" he whispers. The boy moves his arms up under the pillow that Kagome's head is lying on, and finds her hands. He slides his fingers in between hers.

"Yes. I can breathe now," the girl replies, closing her eyes. She inhales deeply, loving the boy's scent that is flowing around her, and the way his breath is making the hair on her neck stand up.

The pair doesn't say anything else for a long time, simply lying in the silence and growing darkness. Eventually they hear a small knock on the bedroom door, followed by a soft 'dinner.' Kagome is glad that her mother has the sense not to come in.

"Hungry?" Inuyasha asks after a minute, shifting his weight off of the girl so he can look at her. The half-demon moves his right arm so he can brush the girl's bangs off her face, but keeps his other fingers wrapped tightly around Kagome's. She opens her eyes after a minute and sighs.

"Not really, but I should eat something, anyway." She frowns. "I just don't think I can face them...right now." The girl shifts her gaze and stares at the boy's necklace. It dawns on her that she hasn't said 'sit' in several days. Inuyasha speaks before she can give the idea much more thought.

"Want me to bring you something?" The hanyou frowns at the surprised look the girl is giving him. "What?"

Kagome raises one brow. "Why are you acting so nice? You usually would have picked a fight with me by now." The miko rolls over so that her body is facing Inuyasha's. She watches his expression, trying to figure out what he's thinking. The girl is still slightly shocked by what he says.

"I'm...worried. About you. I don't think you could handle losing a fight to me." The half-demon grins as Kagome narrows her eyes at him, her lips twitching slightly. His smirk falls when the smile fails to form. "Smile," he whispers.

Kagome blinks at him. "What do you mean?" Inuyasha frowns.

"You don't understand what 'smile' means? You take your lips, and do thith...," the boy says, moving his free hand up to his face and pushing his lips up a little.

The hanyou looks so ridiculous that Kagome would have laughed if she had been herself, but she just frowns and narrows her eyes instead. "I know what 'smile' means. Why did you tell me to do it, though?"

The half-demon had considered glaring at her, but Kagome looks so genuinely confused that Inuyasha settles for a sigh.

"You haven't smiled once since I've been here, Kagome. You kind of gave me one when I was about to tell you...," Inuyasha stops as his cheeks start to burn, and he looks away for a minute before continuing. "I miss it, Kagome. Your smile. And I don't think I'm gonna be seeing it for a long time," the boy whispers, bringing his eyes back to the girl's. The miko's water as she listens to his confession, because she knows that he's right.

"I'm...sorry...," she says, dropping her chin onto her chest as her tears start to soak the pillow. She feels Inuyasha put his arm around her shoulders and pull her into a hug, dragging his fingers through her hair.

"You're going to smile again, Kagome. You won't be able to get rid of me until you do," the half-demon whispers. His next word is so quiet that the miko isn't sure he even said anything.

"_Ren'ai..."_

_-------------------------_

"I think I can go back tomorrow."

The hanyou turns his head to look at her, as does her family. Kagome ignores this and keeps eating her rice ball.

"Really?" Amorume asks, disbelief and sadness on her face. "I had hoped...you and Inuyasha could stay...a little while longer." She gives the half-demon a small smile when he turns to her with a surprised look.

Kagome sighs. It's the night after her family came back, and the miko was almost starting to feel normal, but being in the house where she and Inuyasha had been was depressing her. There were just too many memories for her to deal with right now.

"I do too, mom. But I've been gone for almost a week, and the others can't sense the jewel shards. I'm..._well_ enough to go back now. There's no sense in putting it off any longer." The girl finishes her bite, then sets the rest of the ball back down and pushes her plate towards Inuyasha. She still wasn't eating much, but at least it was better than nothing.

"But...sis. I wanted to beat Inuyasha again," Sota whines, glaring at the hanyou as he takes Kagome's plate. Inuyasha rolls his eyes and lets the boy have the first pick at her leftovers.

_He's as bad as Shippo..._ "That's only because you won't let me take the ball off the ground," Inuyasha growls. Sota glares again.

"That's cheating, Inuyasha. I can't jump over your head, so you can't jump over mine." The boy goes back to his food, effectively ending the discussion. Inuyasha gives Kagome a pitiful look, which only earns him a blank stare. He pouts and starts digging into her plate.

"We'll leave in the morning. I...have some things I want to do before we leave Kaede's village," the girl says. Amorume sighs and nods her head, and Sota is so busy chewing that he doesn't even hear his sister. Kagome's Gramps, however, speaks to Inuyasha.

"You better watch her, boy. I don't want my grand-daughter coming back the same way next time," he warns, staring intently at the hanyou. Inuyasha blinks, surprised at the amount of force the old man put into his words. He nods once, indicating he understood.

"Good. She's always saying how well you watch over her. I'm just making sure you keep doing it." The man doesn't notice the blush creeping onto the two's faces, and digs into his pickled ginger with enthusiasm.

----------------------------

"Are you sure you're ready for this?" Inuyasha asks, as the pair climbs out of the Bone-Eater's Well. He grabs Kagome's backpack from the girl and hoists it over his shoulder. She sighs.

"Yes. We need to start looking for shards again, and that alone will take my mind off of...things. And I can carry that myself," the girl says, holding out her palm. Inuyasha grins.

"Not if you're not walking," he says, lunging for the girl and wrapping his arm around her waist. He quickly throws her over his shoulder, smiling again when he hears her squeak.

"Inuyasha! What're you doing?!" the girl yells from the middle of his back. She beats him with her fists a few times before giving up and sagging onto the boy, defeated. He takes a few minutes to answer her--so that she'll know he's serious.

"I want to know why you're wearing...this," he asks. Inuyasha has slipped the backpack over his other shoulder, and runs that hand over the girl's closest hipbone, feeling the slightly rough material of the girl's shorts, then up a few inches to the tank top that Kagome was wearing. He again wonders why she doesn't object to his hands roaming wherever they pleased, but doesn't ask about it.

Kagome is silent for several minutes while the hanyou walks toward the village, finally giving an irritated sigh before she answers. _I do that way too much...anyway..._ "I'm...gonna do some training, with Kaede. And...you guys," she whispers, hoping Inuyasha won't laugh at her. He doesn't.

"Training? What kind of training?" The hanyou pauses to think a minute. "And...why?" he asks. Kagome can hear the slight change in his voice that says he's starting to get angry.

_Uh-oh..._ "Don't get mad," Kagome whispers.

Inuyasha stops walking and shifts the girl to his front, so that she's sitting on his forearms. They're both very aware that her legs are on either side of his torso, and that hers is pressed very close to his face, her arms over each of his shoulders. He's looking up at her, eyebrows slanted and with a frown on his face.

"Why would I get mad?" he asks. Kagome can see the muscle in his jaw twitching. She chooses her words carefully.

"Would you agree that...you...can't be everywhere at once? During a battle, I mean?"

The half-demon narrows his eyes at her, but eventually nods. Kagome can feel her heart beating very fast. The last thing she needed was for Inuyasha to be mad at her. The miko needed to make her point without angering him.

"And that...especially against Naraku...I need to be able to take care of myself?"

The girl feels a low growl start in the boy's throat and quickly places a hand over his mouth to keep the rant he was about to go on inside. Inuyasha's eyes go wide in surprise. Kagome speaks quickly.

"I need to do this, Inuyasha. I need to be able to take care of myself in a battle, so that you don't have to worry about protecting me. I know you want to watch over me, but...it's just not practical. You don't worry about Sango and Miroku--you know they can take care of themselves. I need to be able to do that. It would be better for everyone, and...it'll help me..._with things..." _

Kagome slowly draws her hand away from the half-demon's face. His expression has changed from one of anger to one of slight sorrow. He knew the miko was right, but Inuyasha also felt as if he was giving something up. He sighs.

"Ok," he says, very quietly. "You can train."

Kagome narrows her eyes. "Well, thanks very much for your _permission_," she says, wrapping her arms around his neck and hugging the hanyou tightly. Inuyasha's breath catches in his throat; he hadn't expected the girl to get _closer_ to him, since they're position was already questionable.

The girl pulls back after a minute and gently rubs the half-demon's cheeks with her thumbs. She loses herself in his bright amber eyes before his words bring her back to reality.

"What did you say?"

Inuyasha grins. "I _said_, I think you want to kiss me again..."

Kagome's cheeks go pink. She _had_ been thinking about doing that, actually. The girl's eyes drop to the boy's lips, which widen their smile. She's so busy staring that the miko gets a slight shock, when Inuyasha suddenly lowers her so that her face is now _much_ closer to his. Kagome brings her eyes back up to his just in time to close them, as the hanyou's lips are now pressed firmly to hers.

Inuyasha holds the girl tighter, and feels her arms encircle his neck, pulling him closer to her. He lets a low growl escape his throat, and hears the miko give a small sigh, before another sound reaches his ears. It's quiet laughter, and it definitely does not belong in this situation.

The half-demon pulls away and almost smiles at the pout on Kagome's face before glancing quickly at her eyes. The spark has gotten the tiniest bit larger. Hiding his triumph, Inuyasha looks past the girl, who turns her head around to see what he's staring at. They both turn very bright shades of red.

Standing several yards away are their friends, huge smiles hiding their surprise at what they've just walked up on. The laughing belongs to Shippo, who has his hand in his mouth in an attempt to stifle his giggles. Sango is staring with a slightly star-struck expression, while Kilala simply gazes at the pair--her dark eyes glittering. Miroku, however, has the biggest, most lecherous grin on his face that any of them have ever seen.

"It seems you've gotten over your cold, Kagome," the monk says, trying very hard not to start laughing as well.

-----------------------

"It was nothing."

"Oh, yeah, right. You really expect us to believe that, Inuyasha? Five more minutes, and you and Kagome..."

Miroku is cut off as a clawed hand comes very close to his throat. The monk falls backward off the log and quickly rolls over, scrambling to hide behind the demon slayer.

"You'd better be quiet," she whispers, going back to polishing her _Hiraikotsu_. The hoshin doesn't listen.

"I am not going to be quiet! We practically _caught_ them going at it like... AAARRGGHHH!!"

Miroku yells as a something slams into his chest and rolls him over backwards. He looks up to see ten very sharp claws less than an inch from his throat. Inuyasha is hovering over him, glaring.

"I _dare_ you to finish that sentence, Miroku," he growls. The monk looks at him with wide eyes before admitting defeat. He sighs.

"Fine. We saw nothing. Happy now?" he asks, sending the hanyou a glare. Inuyasha smirks.

"Yes," he says, before holding out one hand to help the other boy up. Miroku takes it grudgingly. He glares again before sitting back down beside Sango, and crossing his arms. Inuyasha sits opposite him and boys continue to exchange evil glances until Shippo speaks.

"What did Kagome need to talk to Kaede about? She's been in there for a long time." The fox turns his head toward the priestesses' doorway, where they can hear quiet whispers echo faintly every few minutes.

"I don't know. Kagome just said she needed to talk to the woman before we left the village."

Inuyasha shrugs, trying to act indifferent, though he was panicking inside. The hanyou had caught a few of the phrases that had passed between the women, and was certain that it had something to do with Kagome's depression. In that case, Inuyasha was becoming more and more reluctant to find out what had upset the girl. He was starting to get an idea what it was, and desperately hoped he was wrong--for several reasons. Sango voice draws him out of his thoughts.

"Was Kagome really sick?" she asks, a slightly annoyed look on her face. Inuyasha turns to her, grateful that she asked if Kagome was sick, and not if the girl had had a cold, which was what the hanyou had told them. He nods.

"Yes. Kagome was sick until last night," he replies. The slayer takes in the boy's serious expression and nods before going back to her weapon. Inuyasha decides not to mention that the girl is _still_ sick.

"So which way are we going tomorrow?" Miroku asks. He seems to have forgotten about the pair's earlier embrace, and is now staring blankly at the firepit. He shakes his head and looks up at Inuyasha, who shrugs again.

"Don't know. Where was the bastard heading before...," Inuyasha stops suddenly as his thoughts stray back to Kikyo--for the first time in two days. He takes a deep breath and swallows before continuing. "...the last time we saw him?"

The others all exchange glances, but don't comment about the break in the half-demon's question. Sango answers him.

"He was heading north, toward _Mori no Shinjitsu to Uso_. The Forest of Truth and Lies." The slayer frowns. "We...should avoid it. I've heard that most people who enter..."

"They don't come back out?" the kitsune asks, his voice quivering slightly. Sango smiles down at the demon.

"No. They come out; they're just...changed," she whispers. "A demon is said to reside there, and he makes you confront your innermost fears and desires."

"Well, that's not so bad. Naraku's already made us see our worst fears," Miroku offers. The monk doesn't comment on the 'desires' part. The tajiya shakes her head.

"You don't understand, Miroku. The demon doesn't just make _you_ deal with them; anyone you're traveling with _also_ gets to see your fears and desires. That's why people are changed. They find out things about their friends that they wished they hadn't." Sango looks around at the boys, and sees that the two older ones have gone slightly pale, while the third just looks confused. "Hiding some things, are we?" she asks, looking back and forth from Miroku to Inuyasha.

The demon and the monk jump, turning shades of pink before shaking their heads.

"No..."

"Don't know what you're talking about..."

"Not hiding anything..."

Sango frowns before suddenly standing up. "I'm going for a walk," she says, leaving the boys to stare after her as she walks away. Shippo looks at her retreating back with a blank expression.

"What's wrong with her?"

----------------------------

"One more time, and a little to the left, Kagome."

The young miko takes aim and shoots, her arrow slicing through the air and piercing the outer edge of the central red area of the target. The corners of her mouth twitch. She hadn't used any of her spiritual power with that shot.

"Very good. Just keep concentrating, and you should soon be able to conrol your power level without having to think about it. The same with the spells I have given you. You should be able to master them in a short time, then you can speak to Miroku about learning more."

Kagome nods at the older priestess, and places a hand on Kaede's shoulder. "Thank you, Kaede. I wish I had more time here to practice, but..."

The girl suddenly stops, and tilts her head to the side. She turns in a complete circle twice--staring in all directions--before stopping and looking at a distant tree intensely. She narrows her eyes, and raises one brow.

"Inuyasha?"

A few seconds later an irritated hanyou drops to the ground in front of her and glares.

"How did you know I was there?" he asks, narrowing his eyes. Kaede gives a quiet laugh.

"She could sense your demonic aura, Inuyasha. You can all sense them, to some extent, but Kagome can focus her powers to determine the source and location of one. And she is the only person I have ever heard of who could distinuguish between different auras. I have told her to practice detecting them, but she hasn't had a chance until you showed up just now."

The hanyou turns to Kagome, who looks slightly apologetic. "Sorry," she whispers, staring down at her toes while she pokes her shoe in the dirt. Inuyasha sighs.

"Don't be sorry, Kagome. A power like that could really come in handy." He gives the girl a small smile as she looks back up at him--baffled. "Why haven't you been able to sense me before now?" he asks, glancing back and forth between the mikos. Kaede answers.

"Because Kagome simply hasn't developed her abilities since she came through the well. The harder she trains, the more her spiritual powers will improve. It is simply a matter of practice...and imagination." Kaede begins to walk toward the distant target--to retrieve Kagome's arrows. The girl's voice reaches her ears and she turns back to face the pair as the girl speaks.

"What do you mean, 'imagination,' Kaede?" she asks, a puzzled look on her face. Inuyasha is wearing a frown. He obviously didn't understand, either.

"You will see, child," she responds, a smile gracing her wizened face as she returns to the arrows.

* * *

Okay? Left ya with enough to wonder about, maybe? I bet you won't see what's coming in the next chap, b/c well...it's kinda weird... 


	10. Seiryoku

#10. This one's kinda...weird. I think. Maybe ya'll understand; I don't know. It made sense when I thought of it... :)

_

* * *

I will not cry...I will not cry..._

Kagome opens her eyes and concentrates on the fading embers of the fire, willing herself not to cry. She clenches her fists on the inside of her sleeping bag and bites the inside of her cheek, trying desperately to fight the emptiness that was overtaking her.

The girl seems to be making progress when she suddenly feels a single tear leak out and slide slowly down her cheek, slipping off to make a soft _poof_-ing sound against her pajamas. The miko can't hold it in anymore. She sobs once before burying her head against the bottom of her bag, her whole body trembling.

Kagome is so distracted that she doesn't even register the presence above her. The girl gasps, her eyes snapping open when she feels somebody slide into the bag behind her, strong arms wrapping themselves around her own. She feels warm breath flowing across her neck as the person buries his head against it, pulling the girl back until her body is flush with his. He inhales deeply before speaking in a whisper.

"I told you that you weren't going to be able to get rid of me. That includes sleeping."

The miko closes her eyes as Inuyasha continues to simply hold her, her tremors finally subsiding after what seems like years to the girl. The hanyou speaks again after Kagome's now-silent cries stop. It's sometime in the middle of the night.

"Can I try something?"

The girl gives a hesitant nod, and almost immediately feels the emptiness being filled...

----------------

_Flashback to earlier in the evening..._

Inuyasha stifles a yawn. He was sitting in his favorite spot--a tree branch high above the others--watching his friends sleeping peacefully while he kept an eye out for danger. The hanyou looks down, his eyes roaming from one body to the next, making sure they were all okay. He frowns. One of them was definitely _not_ okay. The half-demon feels his heart thump painfully as he watches the girl taking deep breaths.

The miko had been doing..._okay_...during most of the past week--keeping up with the others, and practicing her shot and the few spells Kaede had taught her. She spoke when asked a question, but rarely initiated a conversation on her own. Also, unless she was looking at him, the girl's eyes were almost always emotionless. And the miko hadn't smiled once since she'd come back. Her friends were starting to notice.

Sango had been the first, wanting to know what was wrong with Kagome. Inuyasha had told her to ask the miko herself--which the tajiya did not appreciate--but did so anyway. Kagome had said that she must still have something that was bringing her down, and not to worry about her. The slayer didn't look convinced.

Miroku and Shippo mentioned Kagome's attitude a few days later, but got the same response. The girl insisted that she just didn't feel well, and that she should be alright in a couple of days. Inuyasha didn't see the need to mention her depression, as Kagome wasn't going to say what had led her there in the first place. Not for awhile, at least. The hanyou simply stayed close to the girl, and tried not to do anything that might upset her.

So during the day, Kagome was fine. But it was soon obvious to the hanyou that she wouldn't make it through the night without some help.

The first few days, the miko seemed to be able to hold it together, and was able to sleep--if somewhat fitfully. Inuyasha attributed it to the fact that the girl was practicing like mad and essentially wearing herself out. But Kagome was quickly mastering her abilities with the bow, and by the third night, she had broken down and begun sobbing uncontrollably.

The half-demon had torturously watched the girl cry all night, and didn't know of anything he could do to help. Thankfully the others had already fallen asleep, and--despite having tears in her eyes until dawn--Kagome pulled herself together, and acted as if nothing had happened.

Inuyasha had been baffled, until he realized that Kagome didn't want the others to know. He didn't say anything about the previous night, even when the others asked why Kagome looked so tired. The half-demon made a promise to himself, however, not to let the girl go through that again. When he needed it a few nights later, the boy had a plan. Though he didn't know if it would work.

The idea came to him early in the evening of the day after her first breakdown, while he was watching the others getting ready to bed down. Kagome was already in her sleeping bag--seemingly asleep. Inuyasha was glad; he would need to practice.

The hanyou had been thinking about the miko's ability to sense and locate demonic auras, and had wondered what that could mean. When he was younger, Myoga had taught him a way to actually _see_ different auras. It rapidly drained energy, but worked very well. Inuyasha's curiosity was also getting the better of him; he wanted to see just how much spiritual power Kagome had.

So later that night, high on his tree branch, Inuyasha recalled the trick the small flea demon had taught him, and shifted his vision to include the _Seiryoku_. The Energies.

The hanyou knew that he'd have maybe ten minutes, at the most, but that was all he really needed. All of them could feel--to some extent--the demonic or spiritual energies of the others, which was fine--most of the time. But Inuyasha wanted to see if Kagome was controlling hers in some way, and if she could, then he could, too. Hopefully.

Feeling his eyes cross and return to their normal positions, the half-demon blinks a few times before looking at the branch he was sitting on. He grins. It worked.

Every living thing--plant or animal--gave off some kind of energy. Most creatures barely had enough to even register with another life, like the tree Inuyasha was sitting in. The branch was giving off a faint green glow--just enough to outline the wood.

Looking down, the half-demon sees more dark green glows around the campsite, giving away the locations of the plants in the area. Each species gave off a different colored energy. Plants were a dark green; humans ranged from white to gray to black. Demons were any other color except blue, which was what color an animal's _Seiryoku_ were.

Leaning over the branch, Inuyasha almost falls out of the tree. He gasps, his eyes growing wide as he scans the ground. It looks like a fog has rolled over the campsite. The slightly swirling white mist covers almost all of the small area, a space of about 15 feet. Occasional bright white streaks flash through the mist. The hanyou tries to swallow his surprise as he finds the miko in the center of the cloud. It was obviously her spiritual aura, and Inuyasha had never known of one so large, especially in a human. Not even Sesshomaru's was this big.

Dragging his eyes away from Kagome, Inuyasha finds Miroku across the still-burning fire, and notes that the monk's aura is approximately a foot from his body--about the right level for a priest. The aura is a sort of medium gray color, with streaks of black and white. He shakes his head. The color of a human's aura was based on purity. White was innocent, black was evil.

Looking at Sango, Inuyasha notices that the slayer has almost no spiritual aura--just enough to make her body glow a bright white color. The hanyou nods once, before frowning. That's what he thought the tajiya's aura should look like, but compared to Kagome's, it was much brighter. That confuses the half-demon, as the miko's should have been at least the same purity.

Shrugging off the bewildered feeling, Inuyasha looks at the last two members of the group. Shippo's aura is a bright green, but only comes off of his skin a few inches. The hanyou grins. The kitsune's powers would develop as he got older, and his aura would expand, but not for many years yet.

Kilala's aura is a light yellow, and also extends only a couple of inches from her fur. Inuyasha knew that the color would change to a deep orange, and the range would extend to at least a foot when she was in her bigger form. But now, the nekomata was hardly a threat.

The hanyou sits back up and looks around himself, noting the slight increase in his own aura since the last time he had seen it. The glow extends away from his body for several feet, probably about half that of the miko's below him. The color is a deep red, and there are streaks of white and black flashing through the cloud. Inuyasha sighs; they're a sign of his human and full-demon forms.

Shaking his head, the hanyou looks back down to Kagome's aura, and watches as it moves around the area. The mist moves right over any plants or inanimate objects like rocks or the girl's backpack, but it hesitates when it comes close to the nekomata's aura.

The white fog hovers near the other aura for a few minutes before moving on, doing the same to the kitsune, tajiya, and hoshin's auras before simply swirling around the girl again. Inuyasha frowns, wondering how he's supposed to test his theory. As if in answer, a doe and her two fawns wander into the camp, drawn in by the fire, their light-blue auras making them stand out sharply in the darkness.

Inuyasha watches as Kagome's _Seiryoku_ instantly moves toward the new arrivals, who are hovering on the edge of the small clearing. The animals don't move as the cloud covers their hooves and legs up to the knees, and actually moves _closer_ to the girl before the mist swirls off in another direction. One of the fawns stops to sniff at Kagome's sleeping bag before the trio moves through the camp and heads back into the forest. Inuyasha grins to himself and lets his eyes relax, shifting his vision back to normal.

He blinks a few times and then yawns, the process having drained more energy than he thought. Glancing down, Inuyasha sees the miko dozing lightly, and decides to get a few hours of sleep before trying to manipulate his own demonic aura.

The next time the half-demon sees the young miko struggling in her attempt to stifle her cries, he's ready...

_End Flashback_

---------------

Inuyasha takes a breath before looking down at the girl lying in front of him. A small grin plays across his lips. The hanyou was tired, but he'd been able to do it.

Kagome was sleeping.

Closing his eyes for a minute, the half-demon replays the past few..._hours? minutes? How long have we been lying here?_

Inuyasha gives up wondering and yawns widely, burying his face between the girl's neck and shoulder. The boy feels goosebumps rise on her skin as he breathes against her, and smiles again when a low growl leaves the miko's throat. Kagome's now-relaxed, flowery scent fills the boy's head when he breathes in, and Inuyasha sighs softly.

_I'll just lay here a little longer..._

After Inuyasha had laid down behind the girl and asked if he could try something, the hanyou had released his demonic aura. He had been practicing hiding it ever since he found out Kagome could now sense which one was his. If the miko could manipulate her spiritual aura, why couldn't he do the same with his demonic one?

Turns out, it takes quite a bit of effort and concentration to maneuver one's _Sieryoku_. Inuyasha practiced the rest of that night just to be able to hide himself from Kagome the next day. The hanyou was irritable and tired while they were traveling because he had used so much energy, but it was worth it. Kagome had immediately noticed that she couldn't feel him anymore.

The rest of the day Inuyasha had concentrated on controlling the direction and power level of his aura. He succeeded in moving it within the rough sphere itself, but couldn't maintain control if his aura was more than a few feet away. Cursing silently, the half-demon made a mental note to ask the girl how she controlled her own before a different thought popped into his head. Inuyasha would have to be right next to the girl for his plan to work.

So the next night, when Kagome started sobbing, Inuyasha silently dropped from his perch and approached the girl, slipping into the sleeping bag behind her. He wasn't worried that the miko would get angry. The boy still couldn't figure out what was depressing her, but whatever it was had obviously messed with her sense of what kind of behavior was acceptable. It was starting to seem as if nothing was off-limits to him.

Overlooking this realization, Inuyasha released his aura and concentrated on wrapping the girl's body in it. He was surprised to feel the girl's own _Sieryoku_ responding, immersing the half-demon in a warmth he'd never known before.

The sensation took him by surprise, and it took several minutes for the boy to remember that _he_ was trying to help _her_, and not the other way around. Pulling himself out of the quiet comfort the girl provided, Inuyasha had probed deeper into her aura with his own, finally finding a weak spot. It was her heart.

_Well, duh...Kagome's depressed...where did you think the weak spot would be, idiot?_

Ignoring his conscious, the half-demon had focused his _Sieryoku_ on that point, surrounding the fragile organ with his own energy. The result was instant.

Kagome relaxed completely in his arms, her breathing becoming even and steady, her pulse slowing to normal. The girl quietly mumbled the boy's name, snuggling into him even more than she was already. The miko wasn't asleep yet, but she was quickly getting there.

Inuyasha had kept this level of control until he was sure the girl was asleep. The hanyou then let his aura go, immediately feeling the strain on his body as he looks down at the miko.

The last thing he remembers is the intoxicating scent of the girl in his head...

------------------

Inuyasha's ears twitch.

_Where?_

"Inuyasha?"

The half-demon slowly opens his eyes, finding himself in another awkward situation. His cheeks redden as the girl stares at him, her dark eyes only just showing under the darkness of the sleeping bag.

"Thank you, Inuyasha. For helping me sleep," Kagome whispers, leaning forward to kiss him lightly on the cheek. She hesitates a second--letting her lips rest against his skin--feeling the boy's breath hitch in his throat. The miko slowly pulls away, staring at him for another minute before resting her forehead against his. The pair closes their eyes before she speaks.

"You'll have to tell me what you did sometime."

The half-demon breathes shallowly a few times before a small smile flits across his lips. "Maybe I'll just show you again," he teases.

Kagome is silent for several minutes, finally choking out her question over a sob.

"Would you? If I need your help again, Inuyasha?"

The hanyou feels his heart fall at the sadness still permeating the girl's voice. He involuntarily tightens his arms around her, drawing Kagome closer and burying his nose and mouth in the crook of her neck.

He doesn't answer with words, but simply lets his actions speak for him. Inuyasha kisses Kagome lightly, letting his lips caress the girl's warm skin for a few seconds. The miko places one hand around the boy's torso, the other reaching up to caress one silver-furred ear.

Neither of them notices the pair of bright green eyes watching them in the early dawn light.

---------------------

"I'm telling you, Inuyasha and Kagome are sleeping together," Shippo whispers. The fox sticks his nose over Miroku's shoulder and stares at the pair walking a little ways behind them. He doesn't notice the skeptical glance that the monk and tajiya exchange over his head.

"And why would they do that?" the slayer asks. She scowls at the almost hopeful expression Miroku is wearing.

"I don't know, but I've seen Inuyasha in Kagome's sleeping bag at least twice in the past week." The kitsune pauses a moment and tilts his head to the side. "Why do you think he's sleeping with her?"

Sango punches the monk in the head when he grins widely. "Not a _word_, Miroku," she says, glaring at the boy.

The monk scowls and rubs the bump forming on the top of his head. "Well, what _else_ can you think of, my dear Sango?" he asks, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. "The two of them have been staying awfully close to one another since they came back from Kagome's time."

The tajiya frowns and stares at the ground as she walks. Kilala mews softly in her ear. Sango shakes her head. "I...I don't know. But I think it has something to do with whatever's bothering Kagome, and it's _not_ what you're thinking it is, monk," she says, glaring at the boy.

Shippo glances back and forth from one adult to the other. "What do you guys think it is?" he asks innocently. The humans blush scarlet.

"Uh...nothing, Shippo. Kagome's probably just cold...," Sango suggests. Miroku nods his head in agreement.

"Why won't she let me sleep with her then?" the kitsune asks, sticking his bottom lip out a little as he pouts. "Kagome says that she doesn't want me to get sick, but won't Inuyasha catch what she had if he's sleeping with her?"

The slayer and the monk exchange a nervous glance at each other. They had forgotten that the miko had asked if Shippo could sleep with Sango for awhile, since Kagome still claimed she didn't feel well.

"Inuyasha probably has better immunity than you...," Miroku says vaguely. He places one hand on his forehead, running his finger through his bangs. He looks at Sango again, and knows that she's wondering the same thing as he.

_What if Kagome and Inuyasha really __**are**...?_

"What's im-mew-nit-tee?" the young fox asks.

"It means he can fight things off better than you," Sango answers. She ignores the kit's scowl and turns her head slightly to look at the pair behind her. Inuyasha is glaring at them.

"Uh-oh," she whispers, nodding her head at the monk. Miroku quickly glances back and Sango sees him pale slightly.

"I think we should leave this for later," he mouths, plucking Shippo off his shoulder and holding the fox in his arms.

Sango silently agrees with the hoshin, reaching her hand up to the nekomata and rubbing the feline's ears. The question she had thought of a few minutes ago runs through her mind again.

_What if they really __**are**__ sleeping together?_

* * *

Huh? I know...weird... :P


	11. Samurai Request

#11 guys. I...hope you'll be happy with this one. I like it, but you never know. Dozo!_

* * *

_

Too slow Kagome...Sango's going to get you... 

Inuyasha watches the fight going on before him, his light gaze taking in each of the miko's actions as she spars with the tajiya. The girl was getting better each day, and would soon surpass her teacher. The hanyou stifles a sigh and glances to his left.

Miroku is sitting a few feet away, a smirk plastered on his face as he watches the girls. The females are wearing _keikogi_--traditional japanese attire when practicing martial arts--but the monk doesn't seem to notice. His dark eyes take in everything Sango is doing, and would also be trained on Kagome if Inuyasha hadn't already threatened the hoshin's life.

Kilala and Shippo are between the boys, watching the faux-battle with excited expressions. Neither seems to know who to cheer for, so the fox and the cat simply keep a strained silence as their eyes dart back and forth from one girl to the other.

The half-demon turns his gaze back to the distant pair as a low yell gets his attention. His breath hitches in his throat as Kagome takes a knee to the stomach, falling forward a little before she gets her resolve back and lunges for the slayer. Sango grins and dodges before going on the offensive again. Inuyasha stifles another sigh.

_Sango is teaching her hand-to-hand...she's already trained with Miroku on meditation and charms...Shippo taught her some of his fox-magic...and even Kilala wandered off with her a few times, but I don't know what she could have taught Kagome..._

Inuyasha shifts his position so that his feet are now crossed loosely at the ankles. He leans back on his hands and tries not to feel too sorry for himself.

_Kagome's been able to sleep on her own for several days now...and she's talking to everyone more, and even seems to be __**trying**__ to smile again, though she's not there yet...I should be happy, but..._

The boy looks toward the girls again, staring at the miko. He knows that Kagome has put back on the weight she had lost, and has even been gaining some, because of the muscles she's building. Her shot with the bow is essentially perfect, as are the spells Kaede had taught her a few weeks ago. Miroku's enchantments are still giving Kagome a little trouble, but she should be able to master those in a couple of days, along with the magic Shippo had taught the miko. And the girl would soon equal--if not pass--the demon slayer in hand fighting ability. What was left for Inuyasha to teach her?

The group had collected more jewel shards during this time, but had yet to run into Naraku. Kagome was taking full advantage of this lull to train as hard and as often as she could, which was made easier by the fact that she was no longer doing any schoolwork. The girl said that she was so confused and behind now, that there was no way she was going to pass this year, and she should just concentrate on the shards and Naraku. Her friends had argued, but the miko won in the end, saying that she hadn't brought her things with her and it was too late now to go back for them.

"She's getting much faster, Inuyasha."

The hanyou turns his head to the hoshin, narrowing his eyes at the smirk on the other boy's face.

"Yes...she is," Inuyasha answers bluntly, turning back to the girls with a scowl. He doesn't notice the concerned look Miroku is giving him.

The boy frowns at the women, watching the young miko swing her fist in an arc towards the tajiya's left shoulder. The slayer dodges, ducking low to the ground before bringing her opposite leg around to knock Kagome's own out from underneath her.

The miko gets caught on the backs of her calves, but manages to twist around so that her hands brace her fall. Kagome quickly kicks back with one leg, aiming for Sango's chest, but the tajiya is already out of range.

"Good, Kagome. Your reactions are getting much better," Sango breathes, blocking several of the miko's attempted hits.

The girl's eyes narrow slightly, but she doesn't say a word before abruptly changing tactics and trying the same move Sango had just used. The slayer barely manages to jump Kagome's swing, flipping over the girl to land on her opposite side.

The miko punches upward with one palm, catching Sango in the stomach, but the slayer is ready for her. She grabs Kagome's arm with both of her own, twisting it so that the miko has no choice but to follow if she doesn't want to break her arm. Kagome is on her back in a matter of seconds, glaring up at her teacher.

"You're learning quickly, Kagome. You'll probably be able to beat me within a week," she pants, flopping onto the ground beside her friend.

Kagome inhales deeply, trying to get her breathing back into a normal rhythm from the exercises she and Sango had just gone through. She glances over to the others, who are watching from the edge of the clearing, and catches Inuyasha's gaze. She can see the troubled look in his golden eyes from where she's lying. The miko frowns.

"I'm going to ask him tonight, Sango."

The slayer looks over to her pupil, slight surprise on her face. "You think you can handle that, too, Kagome? I know you're not doing schoolwork anymore, but you're still pushing yourself awfully hard. I feel like I'm being lazy compared to you..."

The miko quirks a brow at the other girl and sits up, pulling her hair out of the ponytail she now kept it in. She turns back to the boys and frowns again when she sees Inuyasha walking slowly back to where they'd made camp last night.

"Yes...," she whispers, feeling her heart speed up a little at what she was going to be doing...

----------------

"Don't you want the rest of your noodles, Inuyasha?"

The half-demon looks down at the fox and fights the irritation rising in his chest. Shippo is staring at the half-eaten container of food sitting in front of him. Biting back a smart reply and an urge to punch the small demon in the head, Inuyasha slowly shakes his head.

"No, Shippo. You can have it," he says, ignoring the gaping stares he gets from everyone except Kagome, who simply gazes at him.

Inuyasha can see the spark in her dark eyes now without concentrating on them, and doesn't know if he should be glad or not. The miko had benefitted quite a lot from the hanyou's almost-nightly attentions, and he was happy--of course--that Kagome was getting better.

However, Inuyasha realized after only a few nights with the girl that he was benefitting just as much from their strange way of communication. The half-demon was less restless and more calm when Kagome's aura surrounded him, even if it wasn't taken to the same degree as his was. Also, the deep ache that Kikyo had left in his heart when she died was slowly being healed by the young priestess sitting across the fire.

But the less Kagome needed him to help her sleep, the more Inuyasha felt like he was missing something when she didn't. The hanyou could feel the unusual connection between them growing stronger, and was frankly both alarmed and intrigued by it. He wanted to talk to the girl about it, and about their sleeping arrangement, but how do you bring up a topic like that?

Add to that the fact that Kagome was learning things from everyone else in their group besides him, and you have a very upset and cranky half-demon on your hands. Not that Inuyasha would let them see anything but the irritation, of course.

_Could Kagome really not learn __**anything**__ from me? She already has a short temper..._

Shippo's voice interrupts the hanyou's depressed musings, and he turns his head back to the fox.

The kitsune frowns. "Are you getting sick, too, Inuyasha? You never let me have any of your food," he says, taking the cup and beginning to eat.

Inuyasha shrugs. "Not really hungry tonight, I guess," he replies, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back against the log behind him.

The boy tilts his head back and sighs, staring up at the stars and full moon lighting the night sky. He doesn't notice the others exchange worried looks with one another across the fire, each of them frowning at the hanyou before turning back to the others. Sango and Miroku both nod in the same direction, and Kagome returns their gesture before standing.

Inuyasha looks back toward the center of camp as he hears the miko approach, thinking she's simply going to get ready to sleep, or clean up. He frowns slightly when the girl stops in front of him, his eyes widening when Kagome kneels and bows low to the ground before him, her palms face-down and stretched toward him.

"Inuyasha-sama," Kagome says.

The boy stares in awe at the miko. He doesn't make any sound, as his brain has jammed and Inuyasha can't seem to get past what Kagome had just called him.

_Sama? But that's...that's..._

"What?" the half-demon asks bluntly, his voice slightly higher than normal.

Inuyasha vaguely sees the others staring at him out of the corner of his eye, but the hanyou ignores them and concentrates on the top of the girl's head, waiting for her to sit up and explain what was going on. Kagome doesn't move. Instead, the miko keeps her face on the ground and speaks again.

"Inuyasha-sama. I, Kagome Higurashi, humbly wish to make a request of you."

The half-demon gapes, thoroughly confused as to why the girl was acting this way. He frowns at her hair.

"If you want to ask me something, Kagome, sit up on your..."

"Inuyasha."

The boy stops talking and turns toward the monk. He gives Miroku a confused look when the other boy glares at him.

"What?"

Miroku sighs and rolls his eyes. Inuyasha hadn't gotten it yet. The hoshin stands up and walks around behind the hanyou, kneeling to whisper in his ear. The demon's eyes widen.

"Why the hell would I say that?" Inuyasha growls. _I __**never**__ say things like that..._

"To find out what Kagome wants."

The boys turn their heads to Sango. The slayer simply shrugs and waves one hand vaguely at Kagome. She obviously wanted Inuyasha to go on.

The boy frowns again while looking at the miko kneeling before him. Inuyasha didn't like this. Kagome was using an honorific with his name that was far above his station, and she was also being submissive to him. That alone was a feat worth noticing.

The hanyou thought that he was being tricked in some way, but couldn't figure out what it was. Especially after what Miroku had told him to say. He glances over his shoulder at the monk, who nods his head for Inuyasha to speak. The boy swallows.

"What is your request, Kagome..._-kun_?" he says in a strained voice.

Inuyasha can feel his cheeks getting warm. Why did Miroku want him to say that? _Kun_ was only used...

"I wish to learn the way of the Samurai, Inuyasha-sama."

The half-demon gapes, his hands resting uselessly in his lap. He simply stares at the miko, his brain trying to process what Kagome had just said.

"S...samurai?" he asks dumbly.

"Hai."

Inuyasha takes a few more minutes for the girl's sentence to sink in. _Samurai? Kagome wants to learn how to wield a...a sword? _He finally speaks, his tone betraying his confusion.

"You...you want to learn how to use a _sword_?"

"Hai."

The half-demon continues to stare at the girl, his brain trying to wrap itself around her question. He glances to his right, where Tetsusaiga is leaning against the log beside him. He frowns.

"From me?" he asks, disbelief coating his simple words.

"Hai."

"Why?" he asks bluntly.

If Kagome wanted to learn to use a sword, that was fine, but why from him? Both Miroku and Sango knew how to handle one, and they would be far more patient and understanding teachers than he would be. Why should the miko want to study under him--a simple hanyou?

The others all glare at him when Inuyasha speaks--even Shippo and Kilala, who seemed uninterested in the conversation before. The boy suddenly realizes that everyone knew what Kagome was doing right now, and that they had known for awhile. He scowls at the girl as he waits for an answer.

"Inuyasha-sama. I wish to study with the person who knows their weapon inside and out. Who can teach me to handle the difficult and compex motions required when studying the way of the Samurai. That is you, Inuyasha-sama. Tetsusaiga an extension of you--as everyone who's seen you fight, knows. I wish to learn the same skills that you have taught yourself."

The half-demon stares in awe, trying to count all the compliments that Kagome had just paid him, with the most serious voice he had ever heard from her. His irritation about the rest of the group having known about this is now gone, and the boy is simply trying to decide how he should respond to the miko's very respectful and serious request.

Inuyasha frowns to himself for a minute before turning around and whispering in Miroku's ear, who grins, then quietly answers back. The hanyou turns back to the girl and speaks in a slightly arrogant tone, though it is tinged with nervousness.

"I accept your request, Kagome-kun. We will begin at dawn, tomorrow. Be dressed in your keikogi and ready to work when the sun breaches the horizon." Inuyasha pauses a minute before going on, his words now annoyed. "You will address me as _Sensei_ or _Master_ while we are training, and _Inuyasha_, when we are not. If I ever hear you call me _-sama_ again, Kagome, the lessons will stop, and I will personally see to it that you...feed me noodles by hand for the rest of your life."

Inuyasha fights to hide the grin trying to surface on his face at the snickering noises the others are making. He concentrates instead on the girl kneeling before him, her fingers now digging a little ways into the dirt.

The miko doesn't say anything for several seconds, before speaking in a slightly strained voice. "Hai, Sensei."

Inuyasha doesn't know whether to keep his smirk or not. He can hear the anger in the girl's voice, but there's also something that sounds like amusement. He narrows his eyes at Kagome as she sits up onto her knees and catches his gaze. His breath hitches slightly when she smiles at him.

"Thank you, Inuyasha."

------------------------

"You think they knew we were still awake?"

"No. He wouldn't have come down if he thought we were."

"She was crying."

"Yes."

"He'll be back in the tree in the morning, if they're not training."

"I know."

"So why do you think they're doing this?"

Miroku hesitates. He turns his head toward the tajiya, who is lying on her blankets a few feet away, frowning slightly at him.

"To...help her sleep, I think," he whispers, glancing back to the miko and the hanyou on his other side. "You were right, Sango."

Miroku, Sango, Shippo, and Kilala had secretly been discussing the sleeping arrangement of the other two members of their group since the day the kitsune said he saw them together, though the last of these rarely had anything to contribute. The three who could talk made quiet observations, noting any other strange behavior and sharing it when Kagome and Inuyasha weren't paying attention. They had finally come to a few conclusions.

First, Kagome, was doing a fairly good job of hiding whatever was wrong with her, though her friends had still noticed. The girl acted fine most of the time, though she rarely smiled and was obviously not her usual happy self. None of them knew what would do this to their favorite miko, but the girl definitely needed help of some kind to get back to normal. Also, whatever it was had occurred in her time, as Kagome was fine when she went through the well, and was acting strangely when she came back.

Second, though Inuyasha seemed to have nothing to do with it, the hanyou was helping the girl. He was almost always at her side, and was trying harder than usual not to be rude or inconsiderate to not only Kagome, but the others as well. It seemed that the half-demon was doing everything he could to not upset the miko. In addition, whatever he was doing was working, because the miko was very slowly starting to act like her former bouncy self.

Thirdly, neither the half-demon nor the prietess would talk about what was going on between them. _Anything_ that was going on. Anytime Kagome or Inuyasha heard one of the others mention 'sleeping' in even the vaguest sense, or asked the miko what was wrong, the pair would immediately change the topic, or disappear. If they knew that the others knew what they were trying to do, Kagome and Inuyasha were determined to ignore them.

Fourth, Miroku, Sango, Shippo, and Kilala were not entirely convinced that Inuyasha knew what was bothering Kagome. He was helping her, yes, but the hanyou didn't actually seem to know what was going on. The boy would often be seen frowning to himself while watching the girl, and the rest of the group could almost see him trying to figure something out.

This puzzled them. Why would Kagome be hiding something from Inuyasha, when he was helping her?

Sango glances past the monk, her face falling as she watches the pair sleeping peacefully inside the miko's strange blankets.

"I wish she would talk to us," the slayer says, a hint of sadness in her tone. She sees Miroku nod out of the corner of her eye.

"Yes. Me, also. But Kagome seems determined that only she and Inuyasha should know."

The monk keeps his dark eyes on the hanyou and the priestess for a few seconds longer before turning to the tajiya with a smile.

"There is one good thing about their arrangment, though."

Sango gives the boy a confused look before scowling. "And what would _that_ be monk?" she asks, warningly. The hoshin grins wider.

"They finally seem to be acting on their feelings for one another," he whispers.

The slayer raises her brows at Miroku's response, feeling a small smile tug on her own lips as she glances past him.

-------------------------

Inuyasha grinds his teeth together and clenches one fist tightly against the legs of his keikogi, the other around the hilt of his _bokkan_.

_I really might make her feed me noodles if she doesn't get this!_

Slowly opening his eyes, the hanyou looks at the girl standing a few feet away from him, her own _bokkan_ lying in front of her while she clutches her right shoulder. The girl's face is a mixture of anger, pain, and annoyance, her dark eyes narrowed as she stares at him. Inuyasha can almost see the bruise forming under the girl's sleeve and bites down the concern threatening to rise in his chest.

_It will join the hundreds of others that Kagome is accumlating..._

Sighing, the hanyou bends over to retreive the miko's bamboo practice sword, flipping it hilt-first toward her. Kagome slowly reaches out with her sore right arm and takes the bokkan.

"Arigato, Sensei," she whispers, her eyes trained on the grass below their feet. Inuyasha bites back another sigh; he can hear the tiredness in her voice.

"Once more, Kagome, then we'll stop for today."

The girl's head snaps up quickly. "B..." The miko immediately shuts her mouth at the scowl on the half-demon's face. Kagome bows and speaks hurredly. "Sumimasen, Master."

Inuyasha holds back a smirk. In every lesson she'd had so far, Kagome had managed to keep her temper in check, and treated him as a pupil would their teacher. For the most part. The girl still sometimes slipped, especially when the half-demon pushed her too hard. Like he was now.

That was why Inuyasha was going to give her a break. Kagome had been training with him every morning for a week, as well as fighting Sango in the evenings, working with Miroku and Shippo on her powers during the day, and traveling at the same time. Plus, they'd had three battles with minor demons, but hadn't collected any jewel shards from them.

The half-demon could see that working all the time was wearing the girl down, and he had decided that she needed a break. He would finish this lesson, then make Kagome rest for the remainder of the day. That included training with the others, too. She needed to stop before she snapped.

"Raise the sword to parry, but be ready to strike immediately after," he says, aiming his not-deadly-but-potentially-very-painful faux-weapon at Kagome's left hip.

He shows her the move in slow motion, which she blocks with her own before sliding it up his to the hanyou's arm. Inuyasha nods, then backs up a few feet before repeating it at normal speed. Well, normal speed for her. Inuyasha had to slow all of his actions down or Kagome would never be able to keep up with him.

The miko manages to parry his attack on her left side, but only takes her bokkan halfway up Inuyasha's before he swings it back toward her torso. Kagome ducks underneath, dropping her weapon low to take out the boy's ankles. He jumps over it, rolling to her right side and swinging his weapon toward her injured arm. She doesn't block the attack.

Inuyasha drops his bokkan as Kagome sinks onto her knees, holding her arm while tears stream down her face. Ignoring the fact that the lesson is still technically going on, the half-demon gathers the girl into his arms and whispers apologies in her ear.

"I'm sorry, Kagome. You were doing so good, I thought you..." He stops as the miko speaks through her sobs, shaking her head.

"No, Inuyasha. I should have been able to stop you. It's just...the pain...made me slower..."

"But I shouldn't have gone for your arm. I had just hit it; I knew it would be sore...," the boy says, regret making his voice sound choked.

Kagome grabs the front of his keikogi and lifts her head to look at the hanyou's face. She can see the sorrow in his eyes.

"No, Inuyasha. If I'm going to learn to use a _katana_ properly, then you don't need to hold back. I know you have to keep your strength and speed in check, but anything else should be fair game. Enemies won't avoid an injury, so you shouldn't, either. I'll just have to learn to deal with the pain and keep going anyway."

The half-demon stares down at the girl in his arms, admiring the determined expression on her tear-stained face, but feeling his breath hitch at the suffering in her eyes. Inuyasha looks into the miko's dark orbs and feels his heart thump his chest. He stares at her for a moment before doing something that he hadn't done since the first day they returned from the Kagome's time.

He kisses her.

* * *

Ok? Huh? I'm debating about putting a lime-y scene in the next chap. No lemon; Kags can't do that--remember? Let me know if you want one...we'll see... ;) And I know I've neglected her power development, but I should take care of that in the next chap, too. Um...anything else...? Hrmmmm...


	12. Connection

I know. But you guys don't _know_. I pretty much struggled through this chap. I don't know why now, but it was difficult two weeks ago, when I started it. And I still don't know if I'm happy with it. Hrmmm... It more-or-less does what I want it to, but...it kinda feels different. Anyways, little tiny lime...sort of. Maybe a kiwi, actually. ;) Let me know. Dozo!

_

* * *

__Oh...my..._

Kagome takes an unsteady breath as Inuyasha pulls back, pausing a few inches away from her. The miko slowly opens her eyes, feeling her heart beating furiously in her chest as she focuses on the boy's reddened lips. She finally glances upward, frowning slightly. Inuyasha looked...

_...scared?_

The girl's frown deepens when the half-demon suddenly lets go of her, standing quickly and staring down at her with wide eyes.

"I...I'm sorry," he mumbles, hesitating a moment before he suddenly turns and starts walking quickly out of the clearing.

Kagome stares after him, shock at the hanyou's behavior rendering her temporarily mute. She opens and closes her mouth a few times, finally forcing the boy's name out, confusion and dismay obvious in her tone.

"Inuyasha?!"

The half-demon walks a few more steps before he stops, his head bowed. Kagome sees the boy take several deep breaths, clenching his fists tightly by his sides. Inuyasha stays this way for several minutes before he turns, watching the girl through his bangs.

_I...what have I done?_

The half-demon sags visibly as he gazes at Kagome's tear-streaked face, pain and something very close to fear showing in her dark eyes. Inuyasha suddenly has the feeling that if he walks away from her now, he won't ever have a chance at being with the miko. His heart stops at the possibility.

_Just...just tell her..._

The boy takes another deep breath, closing his eyes for a minute before he slowly heads back to the girl, pausing above her. He feels a shameful warmth start to color his cheeks as she stares up at him--her unsaid question reaching him loud and clear, despite that fact that she hadn't spoken.

_Why?_

The half-demon drops his eyes, trying to still the panic he was feeling after kissing the miko. He slowly falls to his knees, keeping his gaze on the grass between them.

Kagome blinks tearfully at the boy's bang-covered face, biting down on her bottom lip to keep the sobs down. She makes a small _'Eeep!' _when she suddenly finds herself back in Inuyasha's arms, his face buried against her neck.

The half-demon breathes quietly against the girl's skin, his whole body trembling while he holds her. Kagome doesn't speak, still confused as to what was going on.

_What...what's wrong with Inuyasha? Why did he try to leave? Why...?_

Kagome manages to keep her cries back while the boy continues to hold her, feeling him finally move several minutes later. Inuyasha lightly press his lips against her, before slowly raising his eyes to hers.

"I...I'm sorry, Kagome. I..."

The boy takes a breath and swallows the lump in his throat, sliding his claws gently down her arms to hold her hands. He rubs the backs with his thumbs, dropping his eyes to watch them.

"You...you didn't feel it then--did you?" he asks softly, something like tiredness entering his tone.

Kagome blinks, her lips parting slightly in confusion. She shakes her head a little, responding slowly--afraid of what Inuyasha was referring to.

"I...felt _something_... But it wasn't..._bad_...," she whispers, her cheeks flaming to life, but her fear settling somewhat when the boy flashes her a small smile.

"No; that's not what I was talking about," Inuyasha says, tightening his hands. He takes another breath before speaking again.

"How...how do you keep going? Every...day? Like...that?"

Kagome frowns. "What...are you talking about?" she asks, suddenly nervous.

Inuyasha raises his eyes to the girl. "The...hollow. The emptiness... in here," he whispers, moving one hand to her chest and pressing his palm into the space between her breasts.

The miko drops her eyes to stare at the boy's fingers, watching them shaking against the material of her keikogi as her heart beats loudly on the other side. She slowly brings her gaze back to his, her eyes wide.

"How...how do you...?"

"I felt it."

Kagome shakes her head--wondering if she'd misheard the half-demon. "Wh...what?" she asks, her voice higher than normal.

Inuyasha's serious expression doesn't change as he places his hands on the girl's hips, drawing her body up against his before wrapping his arms around the miko, holding her in place. He speaks quietly, whispering against her hair.

"I _felt_ it, Kagome. The...pain...that you're feeling. The..._despair_. Like I was the one hurting, instead of you."

Inuyasha stops and sighs, as if what he's just admitted has used all his energy. He slowly closes his eyes, resting his chin on top of the girl's head, her aura and flowery scent helping to calm his nerves.

Kagome breathes shallowly a few times, unable to process what Inuyasha had just said. She eventually swallows, forcing her question past the lump in her throat. "How...how is that...possible?"

Inuyasha is quiet for a few minutes before he answers, his lips set in a slight pout. "I don't know. But that's why...I tried to leave. I...it...the feeling..."

Kagome brings her arms up to embrace the hanyou, ignoring the stinging pain that shoots through her injured one. She tentatively kisses his throat, letting her lips linger against his skin. The miko feels Inuyasha's breath catch at her touch, his fingers still shaking on her back.

"You were...scared?" she asks, receiving a surprise when the half-demon leans back to look at her.

"Not...exactly. It was more like...," Inuyasha stops for a moment, frowning to himself. "...it was fear, yes, but not because of the pain itself. I was afraid because I thought that the pain might never go away."

Kagome stares at the boy with wide eyes, feeling her vision start to blur. She takes a deep breath, trying to will away the tears.

_I'm afraid...that it won't. That this...emptiness...will always..._

Inuyasha speaks again, shocking the girl out of her thoughts. "Can I...kiss you again, Kagome?"

The miko gapes, the hanyou's question taking a few seconds to sink in. "Wha...what?"

"You don't want me to?" he asks, his ears drooping slightly.

"N...no...," the girl says, a little too quickly. "But...I didn't think you'd...after..."

The boy answers Kagome's silent question by bringing one hand up to the back of the miko's head and gently tilting her face up to his. He sees a few tears slide down her cheeks before he brings his lips down on hers, caressing them softly a few times before deepening the kiss.

Kagome tightens her arms on the boy, her fists clutching the back of his keikogi as if she thinks he might try to run away again. She feels him smile against her when an inadvertent moan escapes her throat, because of what the boy was now doing with his lips--which are not against hers anymore.

The girl tilts her head back, making it easier for Inuyasha to kiss her neck. She draws her hands off of his back and raises them to his hair, grabbing fistfuls of the boy's silver locks.

Feeling the girl push him closer to her, Inuyasha decides that now is as good a time as any to test his theory--as Kagome is currently preoccupied, and he suddenly doesn't care at all the he might get 'sat' for what he was about to do.

Taking a breath and using his teeth lightly on the miko's skin--which earns him another moan--the hanyou slowly drops the hand that's on the girl's back until it's resting on her behind, lifting Kagome slightly off of her knees and pressing her hips into his.

Feeling a growl vibrate through his lips from the girl, Inuyasha quickly realizes that he can do _anything_ to Kagome that he wants, and she won't object at all. He pauses slightly in his caresses to let the thought sink in--excitement, fear, and confuson flowing through him at the idea.

_Anything...absolutely __**anything**__...I want to do..._

Inuyasha slowly opens his eyes, focusing them on the small spot of red on the side of Kagome's neck where he had been kissing her.

_Nope...wrong. You were __**sucking**__ on her... Think about what else..._

The half-demon shakes his head--trying to rid his mind of the thought--though his eyes drop several inches lower on the girl's body, what's hidden beneath her keikogi still fresh in his mind, thanks to the time he spent in the future.

Somehow stifling the growl trying to escape his throat, Inuyasha brings his lips back to the girl, despite being positive that Kagome can feel something besides them touching her body.

Fully expecting the miko to yell at him to get off of her, Inuyasha gets a shock when Kagome suddenly moves, drawing her legs to either side of the boy.

_Aww, hell..._

Hesitating only a second before commiting to the action, Inuyasha quickly maneuvers the girl until she's laying on her back--his hips pressed into her thighs while he rests both of his hands on her waist.

He brings his lips back to Kagome's, feeling her wrap her arms around his head as he silently wonders how he's ever going to be able to keep his hands to himself from now on. The growl he'd been holding in for the past several minutes finally escapes, when Kagome deepens the kiss.

"Ahem."

The miko and the hanyou freeze, breaking their kiss and staring at each other with wide eyes before tilting their heads toward the sound. Inuyasha hears the girl silently curse, his surprise at her swearing nothing compared to the fact that Sango is standing a few feet away, a cross between an angry glare and an amused smirk on her face.

"It's a good thing I'm not Miroku; he would have just stood here until you noticed him," she says, crossing her arms and tapping one foot impatiently. She speaks again when neither of the two on the ground move, their embarrassment rising quickly up their cheeks.

"Well? Are you going to say something or pretend that this is 'nothing' again?"

Kagome's heart stops at the slayer's question, her panic at how Inuyasha will answer overriding her embarrassment at what Sango had walked up on. She slowly draws her eyes back to the half-demon, trying hard to stay calm as Inuyasha glances down at her.

The boy doesn't have to concentrate very hard to see the fear on Kagome's face, her bottom lip suffering the pain of her teeth. It takes him a moment to see through the the miko's worry-- to the hope hiding behind her dark, glassy eyes.

"It wasn't..._nothing_," the half-demon says, looking back up to the tajiya and praying that he'd interpreted the miko's expression the right way. A quiet gasp followed by a sob and Kagome's arms around his neck gives him his answer.

Sango fights to hide the surprised smile trying to surface on her face as she sees Inuyasha's own reddening again--this time because Kagome was completely ignoring the fact that she had an audience, and was hugging the hanyou tightly to her. The slayer suddenly can't resist a bit of teasing.

"What is it then?" she asks, allowing a Miroku-ish grin to cross her face when the pair glances up, shocked. Her smile widens when neither the miko nor the half-demon utters a reply, their flustered expressions making the tajiya giggle lightly to herself before speaking again.

"Aren't you two supposed to be practicing? That _is_ the reason why you don't want the rest of us here--isn't it, Inuyasha?" Sango pauses a moment, raising one brow in slight irritation. "Or is it...?"

"No...," Kagome says, keeping her hold around the boy's neck as a warning growl leaves his throat. "...this is...uh...the first time... We kinda...this...just sort of...happened...," she mumbles, watching the slayer narrow her eyes briefly before shrugging. Kagome is sure she saw a smile flit across her friend's face before she turns around, however.

"Uh-huh. Well, you guys need to cut whatever's going on short," Sango says, waving one arm vaguely behind her as she heads in the direction she just came from. "Shippo smells something; thinks it's Naraku, but his senses aren't as good as yours, Inuyasha."

"Sit!"

The tajiya turns around, frowning at the hanyou--who is now laying face-down on the ground beside Kagome--who's face is red again.

"What's going on? Why did you 'sit' Inuyasha?"

Kagome lifts herself into a sitting position, leaning down to whisper something to the half-demon before she turns to Sango. "I...uh...Inuyasha wasn't watching what he was doing when he tried to stand up. _Touched_ something he shouldn't have," the miko replies, narrowing her eyes as she turns to the boy. "I'll wait on him; we'll catch up when the spell wears off," she says, crossing her arms in seeming annoyance.

Sango stares at the pair for a few seconds before nodding, her expression clearly saying that she agreed with the young priestess on what she had done.

"Ok. Just hurry--alright? You know how Naraku is," she says, heading back toward their camp.

Kagome waits until the other girl has disappeared before she turns to Inuyasha, her voice shaky.

"I'm sorry, Inuyasha! But I didn't think you wanted Sango to see...uh...you know," she mumbles, shifting her eyes to the boy's lower half before bringing them quickly back to his face.

Inuyasha turns his head and simply watches Kagome, holding her gaze long past the point when the subduing spell wears off--making the miko uneasy.

"What?" she finally whispers, unnerved by the intesity of the hanyou's stare.

The boy slowly lifts himself to his knees, his eyes moving downward quickly to make sure the spell had worked. "Nothing," he says after a moment, standing and retrieving the pair's _bokkans_ before holding his hand out to the girl.

Kagome slides her fingers into his, getting to her feet and gasping quietly as her arm reminds her of the pain it had been put through.

"We'll wrap that when we get back," Inuyasha mumbles, his ears drooping as the girl grabs her injured arm.

"It's just...a bruise. You can't really..."

Kagome's words are cut off as the half-demon puts one hand around her waist and lifts the miko into his arms. The boy's soft eyes betray the concern behind his serious expression.

"No arguing. We can soak the rags in cold water; that'll help with the swelling," Inuyasha says as he heads back toward their camp, his pace through the trees and underbrush quick but not hurried.

The miko presses her lips together tightly to hide the smile trying to form on them. _That's really... sweet...of Inuyasha... But what about...?_

"What about Naraku, though? If he's close by, we don't need to waste any time."

The half-demon is silent for several minutes, bringing the two of them within sight of their camp and slowing to walk before he speaks again.

"I don't think he'll be close by," he says, setting the girl on her feet. "I think he's leaving us a trail to follow."

Kagome frowns at the boy's words, then starts to glare as she gets a feeling for the evil hanyou's massive aura. She grabs Inuyasha's arm--pointing past the camp and the wide meadow on the other side--to another stand of trees they can see in the distance. The boy turns his head, his lips pulling back to reveal his fangs when he catches Naraku's scent.

"Shippo was right; the bastard's been here," he growls as he and Kagome walk into camp.

The looks the pair gets from Miroku and Shippo instantly tell them that Sango has already mentioned what she found during their practice. Inuyasha gives both boys a glare that says they'd better not mention _anything_, or they will suffer the consequences.

Miroku puts his hands up in front of him as the hanyou strides past, but can't hold in the suggestive smirk that crosses his face. Inuyasha narrows his eyes and growls before dropping the bokkans and grabbing his robes, heading back into the trees to change.

Kagome bends down beside her things, grimacing at the pain in her arm. She gathers her regular clothes, a towel, and a few bandages out of her pack, pointedly ignoring the stares she's getting from the others.

"He's not close...Naraku. He's...well... there," the miko says, nodding her head in the direction of the clearing.

Sango, Miroku, Shippo, and Kilala all turn, the first cursing under her breath as she stares at the distant trees.

"We'll have to go in," Kagome says quietly, before leaving her friends and heading toward the small stream flowing a few yards away.

The slayer watches the other girl disappear into the trees before she shakes her head, kicking dirt over the fire with more force than was necessary.

"That's it--isn't it?" Shippo asks, his voice shaky as he gazes at the _Mori no Shinjitsu to Uso_.

"Yes," Miroku says. He eyes the tajiya with some concern as she stomps around the site, picking up wayward items.

"He knows. He knows that there's a demon in that forest that makes you...," Sango stops, cursing again under her breath as she tightens her fist around the coloring sticks Shippo had been using the night before.

Miroku walks over and places one hand gently on her shoulder. "I know, Sango. But...what choice do we have?"

---------------

Kagome slowly removes the kimono part of her _keikogi_, hissing to herself as she moves her right arm.

_Maybe Inuyasha was right... maybe I **should** wrap..._

The girl stops her movements, her thoughts drifting to the silver-haired hanyou and what had just happened during their practice.

_Baka! What was I doing?! I should have known better! What if Sango hadn't...?_

The miko swallows, her mind bringing up the image of a naked half-demon looming over her. She shivers.

_At least...at least I'm not crying anymore...when I think about..._

Kagome smiles wryly to herself, as she feels her vision start to blur.

_Well...not __**much**__, anyway. It still hurts...to think about that night. And I don't know how it happened, but Inuyasha is right...about the... About this pain...never going away..._

The miko takes a long, weary breath, dropping her head as she absently rubs her sore arm.

_It just...there's just a...hollow... A...__**space**__...that's just...__**there**__, now. A place that I didn't even know Inuyasha had filled, until I found out..._

Kagome digs her nails into her arm, in an attempt to stay her tears. She gasps several times, as the pain in her chest makes it difficult to catch her breath. Gritting her teeth, the girl forces open her eyes, staring at the running water in the stream before her.

The _cold_ water.

Making a sudden decision, Kagome takes off her hakamas and undergarments, her teeth chattering as she steps into the stream. Though it only comes up to her mid-calf, the water is freezing, as it's so early in the morning.

_I wonder why...it's so...**cold**_... the miko thinks, her whole body shivering as she slowly sits down on the bed, the stones surprisingly smooth and not all that uncomfortable.

As the girl glances upstream, the blue-gray mountains in the distance shimmer faintly in the morning sunlight, the snow at their peaks reflecting an orange glow.

_Oh...that's why. We've traveled North... much farther North than we have before, I think..._

The miko sighs again, lying down in the water and shivering for several minutes before her body becomes accustomed to the temperature. As the pain of her arm and her aching muscles slowly numbs, the girl forces herself to think of the gorgeous hanyou she had been kissing earlier. She frowns.

_Is...does Inuyasha want...more? He was the one who kissed me... And he said that it wasn't just...**nothing**... Does that mean...?_

The girl lets her mind wander, the possibility of her idea actually working making her heart flutter.

_If...__**if** __he does...then **maybe** __we... _

Kagome closes her eyes--imagining a life with the puppy-eared boy as the water flowing past her makes the sounds of the surrounding forest momentarily disappear. A small smile crosses her lips as she thinks about waking early and simply watching the half-demon while he sleeps.

_If only..._ the girl thinks, her smile fading as the tears start again. _If only I **knew**...knew what he really wanted..._

Kagome sighs again, shaking her head before she quickly ducks beneath the water, running her fingers through her hair before surfacing. The young priestess slowly gets to her feet, shivering again as the morning air touches her damp skin. She hurredly exits the water, grabbing a towel and wrapping it around her body to get warm. The _snap_ of a twig makes the girl freeze.

_What was that?_ Kagome asks herself, immediately focusing her aura in the direction of the sound, silently thanking Inuyasha for showing her how. She frowns when she doesn't sense anything.

_I know I heard...but...something's wrong... Even if it was just a bird, or a mouse, I would've felt __**something**__. There's just...nothing, where that noise..._

The girl's mouth drops open, as she realizes who made the noise. Only one person could hide himself completely from her.

_Inuyasha...? Inuyasha is...__**spying** __on me?_

The miko slowly closes her mouth, her mind working to figure out why the boy would be hiding. The soft _drip, drip_ of her hair onto the ground slowly grabs the girl's attention, and Kagome glances downward.

_Oh...that's why... _

Kagome finds another smile making it's way across her face, as she slowly removes the towel and raises it to dry her hair. Her grin widens when the faint sound of a whine reaches her ears.

_Maybe...maybe he __**does**__...want..._

The girl feels her throat suddenly constrict, as her mind replays the events of that morning--the thought that she could very easily find herself back in the same situation as before bringing the tears back to her eyes.

_I can't...__**we**__ can't..._

Kagome tightens her hold on her towel, only now realizing that it's the same dark blue one that Inuyasha had used when they'd bathed together, and that it's also the one he had used to dry her with after bathing her himself.

_What...what took me so long to notice this...?_ she thinks, closing her eyes and burying her nose in the soft material. Kagome takes several deep breaths, the light, flowery scent helping to calm her down.

_Whatever might happen after Naraku...right now, Inuyasha and I can't..._

"Inuyasha."

The girl hears a strangled gasp from several feet away--almost smiling again--despite the tears in her eyes. Kagome calls the hanyou again when he doesn't come down.

"I know you're there, Inuyasha. Please come down here."

The miko waits several minutes before she hears a dull _thump_, and the sound of feet shuffling through the undergrowth.

"I...I didn't see anything," the boy says, keeping his eyes determinedly on the ground as he stops a few feet away from the still-naked girl.

"Don't lie, Inuyasha," she says, flashing him an amused grin when he quickly glances up, blushes a bright red, and jerks his eyes back to the ground.

The half-demon fidgets in place when Kagome doesn't speak. "Did...did you need something?" he asks, his tone shaky.

The miko is quiet for several minutes, simply standing in place with her towel only half-covering her body. She finally sighs.

_I think I can...now, and I can't trust myself...not to... _

Taking a deep breath, Kagome speaks.

"There's something I need to tell you, Inuyasha."

* * *

Ok? I was going to have some of Kagome's powers in this chap, but I completely went in a different direction than what I had intended. I'll try again next chap. And I'll explain some things that might not make sense either. Um...that's all! 


	13. Revelations

Hello! Hrmmm...now what? Oh, yes. I had _planned _to keep going and give you guys a nice lime-y scene at the end of this one, but it would have made it, like 16 pages long. So I've decided to move it to the next chap and torture you guys. :) Anyways, I still haven't done anything w/Kags powers, but I'll get there eventually, I promise. It's just, when I plan this stuff in my head, it always takes longer to write it out. I guess I shouldn't think that much. Ok, well, dozo!

* * *

Kagome blinks slowly, staring at the starry night sky through the branches above--feeling her tears sliding down her temples to disappear into her hair. She takes several gasping breaths, then closes her eyes tightly--clenching her fists together to will away the darkness threatening to overcome her.

_Inuyasha... _

The girl sits up slowly, wrapping her arms around her legs and rocking back and forth, burying her head against her knees while she trembles.

_...where are you?_

After Kagome had told Inuyasha that she needed to speak with him, the miko had gotten dressed--with the boy's help, since her arm was still hurting her. The hanyou had then proceeded to wrap her arm, ignoring her protests that it would be fine on its own.

Kagome had secretly been thankful for the delay, as she was growing more fearful by the second of telling the boy what had actually happened to her. She had made him promise not to interrupt as she spoke--afraid that she wouldn't make it to the end if he stopped her.

The miko had told Inuyasha almost everything--leaving out the details because she couldn't handle them yet, but promising to reveal them later, if the boy wanted. Kagome started from when she originally left the well, explaining her 'plan' to help him deal with Kikyo's death.

The half-demon's eyes grew huge as Kagome revealed what they had done, barely keeping his silence as tears started to form in her eyes. The girl briefly mentioned their bath, breakfast, and plan to 'take it slow,' before she had to stop to wipe her tears away, sobbing softly all the while. Next came the hard part.

Taking several minutes before she could speak again, the miko told him of their talk with Kaede--rushing through the explanation of why a spiritual being had to be with a human, and therefore couldn't have anyone with demonic blood.

Kagome was struggling to keep her cries quiet by this time, trying desperately to calm herself down. Inuyasha--meanwhile--had simply taken on a blank stare, his golden eyes betraying none of whatever the hanyou may have been feeling.

By now the girl was refusing to look at the half-demon, barely keeping herself from breaking down completely. She quickly mentioned that Kaede had used a spell to change what had happened--since she was the only one who could purify the jewel shards, and therefore needed her powers--then briefly told of how she had heard his voice in the black room, finishing with the emptiness that had taken hold of her.

Kagome had stopped at this point, her voice refusing to cooperate anymore, no matter how many times she tried to speak. She intentionally left out the confessions the two of them had made--unable to say the words--and also Inuyasha's mark--hoping that she wouldn't need to use it as 'proof.'

The boy had known her long enough that he should trust her to tell the truth, and Kagome didn't know how she would survive if Inuyasha didn't believe her.

The pair sat in strained silence after the girl finished, staring in opposite directions and refusing to even glance at one another. Kagome was trying to get her emotions under control, and didn't even hear their visitor until the fox spoke, startling both of them.

Shippo had said that they were ready to go after Naraku, then asked what was wrong with them. The two had simply sat in place for several seconds, still refusing to look at one another or the small demon. Kagome had finally stood, walking away several feet before she heard the hanyou move behind her.

Inuyasha had remained distant the entire day, staying several yards behind the others on their way to the Forest of Truth and Lies. He refused to take part in any conversations, and didn't once glance at her or any of the others, so far as Kagome knew.

The miko could feel herself slowly fading away. The hollow space that Inuyasha had been healing had widened considerably as the day wore on, while Kagome struggled to simply stay focused on the dirt path beneath her feet. She didn't know what the hanyou was thinking, and that fact was making her more and more depressed.

Did he resent her for what happened? For meddling? For assuming too much? For losing her powers? For drawing his attention away from Kikyo?

The last question proved too much for the girl, and she finally glanced back at the half-demon, seeing him stopped momentarily--staring blankly at something only he could see. It was the word that the boy mouthed--and that Kagome could read clearly on his lips--that sent her over the edge.

_Kikyo..._

Kagome digs her nails into her legs, still rocking back and forth as the tears fall faster down her cheeks. She had fainted after seeing the hanyou say his beloved's name, her despair proving too much for the girl to handle.

The miko had woken up a few hours ago, seeing everyone but the half-demon asleep near the fire, and Inuyasha nowhere to be found. Kagome had lain awake, the pain in her heart and the shadows trying to take her consciousness making it difficult for the girl to do anything but sob quietly into the night.

Kagome slowly shakes her head, wondering how things had gone so terribly wrong.

_This wasn't the way it was supposed to be..._

The girl closes her eyes tightly again, biting her lip to the point where she can feel the tang of blood in her mouth. It takes her a few seconds to notice the presence standing at the forest's edge.

Kagome slowly glances up, blinking several times to clear her vision. Her heart stops.

_Inuyasha..._

------------------

_Kami..._

The hanyou takes an unsteady breath, what Kagome had just told him leaving him almost completely in shock.

_I...I was __**right**_...

Inuyasha blinks slowly to himself, trying to wrap his mind around...well, _everything_.

It was going to take awhile.

Ever since the half-demon had overhead Kagome and Kaede talking, he had been troubled, though he didn't let anyone see it. The hanyou had somehow managed to keep his composure while the two mikos talked, finally having to leave the village to run off some of the adrenaline coursing through his system.

Kagome had first asked the elder priestess how a spiritual being could lose their powers, to which Kaede only gave one response:

The person had to taint their soul.

This, of course, begged the question of how one tainted their soul, of which there were three answers:

I. The being using his or her powers to directly kill an innocent. A child. (Something which Kagome would never do.)

II. Willingly using one's powers to cause the destruction of one of the _Godai_, or Elements. (One of the few sentences that Inuyasha heard clearly, but one of the ones that caused him the greatest confusion. Because--as far as the hanyou knew--_no one_ could destroy one of the five elements. But even if they could--again--it was something that Kagome wouldn't do. So that left...)

III. Having a soul connection to an impure being.

_Demons..._

Inuyasha knew what 'impure beings' Kaede was talking about. He didn't hear the miko say the word specifically, but knew it was true, all the same. But how did one make a soul connection to a demon, or to another human--for that matter?

After finally piecing together Kaede's words, Inuyasha really wished that he hadn't. The final answer scared the hell out of him.

"One must participate in a Bonding," the old miko says wearily.

"What do you mean by...bonding, Kaede?" the younger girl asks, her voice wavering slightly.

Kaede sighs quietly before speaking. "Why do ye wish to know these things, Kagome? It is not something ye should..."

The elder priestess stops suddenly, a strange quiet coming over the occupants of the hut. After several tense minutes she finally speaks again, her voice strained, but with the slightest hint of..._amusement_?

"Ah. I see now, child. But I still do not think it wise..."

"Please, Kaede."

The old woman remains silent for another few minutes before reluctantly answering the girl.

"A Bonding most often occurs between demons, though it is rare--even among their kind. Ye may have heard the term 'Mating' while ye have traveled?"

"Yes; Koga has mentioned..._it_...more than once," Kagome says, a tired edge to her words.

"I do not believe the leader of the wolf-demon tribe is referring to a Bonding, when he says 'mate,' child. He is simply stating his preference to take you for his own. It is not the same."

Kaede takes a deep breath before going on, her voice so quiet that Inuyasha has trouble catching much more than a few words here and there. But that's ok, because the hanyou already knows what a Mating is.

_Why...why does Kagome want to know...?_

Inuyasha is so shook up that he can't even complete his thought. The boy clenches his fists, though he doesn't know if it's in anger because Kagome mentioned the mangy wolf, or panic because the girl wanted to know about Matings.

"A Mating is the youkai's term for a Bonding, but it is more..._complex,_ and a much deeper connection than what humans would ever consider agreeing to. I cannot tell ye much about them, as even I do not know everything that may be involved. The point is, child, that the pair's souls are..._shared_."

"Shared?" Kagome asks, confusion in her tone.

"Aye, for lack of a better name. Once the demons have Mated, each one's soul belongs to the other. Though they remain in their respective bodies--in essence, the two souls have merged together."

The old woman pauses a moment, only the sound of thoughtful silence reaching the hanyou's ears as he continues to listen to the priestesses.

"A Mating is a very serious commitment, as--once made--it cannot ever be taken back. It is so rare that I have never heard of one, in all my time as miko of this village."

Kagome is quiet for several minutes, letting the older woman's words sink in, wondering why she had never heard of this in all her time in the Feudal Era. Making a mental note to ask Inuyasha later, the girl decides to change the topic back to the reason she had sought out the priestess in the first place.

"But...what about a Bonding, Kaede? If it's so rare, how does one even make a soul connection to another..._being?_"

Kaede sighs. "A Bonding is rare, child, because one of the humans must have spiritual powers; they must either be a monk or a priestess. Therefore, most humans do not even have the opportunity to participate in a Bonding, whereas all youkai may commit to a Mating, if they wished."

"O...k," Kagome says slowly. "But how exactly does one..._connect_? I mean, could you, like... _accidentally_ ...make a bond, with another being? Without knowing it?"

It was at this point that Inuyasha seriously considered hiding in the forest. He'd only caught snippets of the conversation so far, but they'd been enough for him to make a fairly educated guess concerning the young miko's depression. He was still missing one piece of the puzzle though, which he was soon to get.

"Ye...could make a Bond, without knowing it, aye," Kaede says, her voice slightly higher in tone. "A Bond occurs in one of two ways..."

_What the hell...? Why does everything have more than one way to..._

The half-demon mutters to himself for a few seconds before drawing his attention back to the hut, because of what the elder miko had just said.

"...through a blood-oath. The other is..."

"Yes, Kaede?" Kagome asks, when the other priestess is reluctant to continue.

"The other way to Bond is...by _committing_ oneself to the other person."

"Meaning?" the girl asks, when Kaede is--again--reluctant to go on.

The woman sighs. "Committing one's body and soul to the other person. It must be the first time each partner has ever..._been_ with another, and the two must...must..."

Kagome takes pity on the older woman at this point, quietly whispering the word that the slightly blushing miko is unable to.

"_Climax_?"

"Aye. Together, they must... Aye, together," Kaede says, rushing through her words.

"Is that...all?" Kagome asks, her words confused again.

At this point, Inuyasha is so entranced by the conversation, that he doesn't even notice that Shippo is trying to steal candy out of Kagome's backpack, which the girl left sitting outside. It takes the hanyou a few seconds to notice, barely missing the small demon as he swipes a chocolate bar and dashes away to enjoy his prize.

Growling to himself to get the little brat later, the hanyou focuses his attention back on the women, hearing the words that makes his heart start beating furiously.

"...must have made a promise. Whether during the..._union_, or before, as long as there is a pledge made to stay with their partner--even if it is a silent profession of love that the other may not even know about--the Bond will be formed."

The two women are silent before Kagome speaks in a very quiet voice. "Both?"

"Aye, child. Both must make the promise."

Inuyasha can almost feel tension crackling in the air at the miko's last words. He takes several shallow breaths, grateful that Miroku and Shippo had decided to join Sango on her walk. The boy suddenly didn't feel very good. A slightly queasy sensation has taken over his stomach.

Kagome's next question sends the boy running into the forest.

"Other than the Bone-Eater's Well, what do you know about manipulating time?"

--------------------

_Damn...it!_

Inuyasha curses silently to himself as he trails the others, watching Kagome from the corner of his eye as the miko trudges ahead of him, her whole demeanor announcing her despair. His impulse all day had been to take the girl in his arms and run off with her, making the pain he had felt while kissing her go blissfully away. But he couldn't do that.

_Because I'm 'impure'... _the boy thinks, sneering to himself. Inuyasha quickly lets his expression fall back into an impassive stare, the one that made him look very much like his brother, but that also allowed him to think without the others bothering him.

It also helped to hide the pain that the boy was feeling.

_I had it right...all along...but I wouldn't let myself believe it. Even though Kagome didn't care if I saw her...if I __**touched**__ her... It was just...too... too... __**impossible**... __Why would I have believed that Kagome and I...had...had...? And why...can't I remember?! _

The hanyou feels his heart clench painfully at what the young miko had done for him, then at what had happened to her because of it, and the fact that he couldn't remember any of it--even after Kagome had told him. He shakes his head in angry sadness, his eyes glossing over.

_And to top it off, we can't ... can't..._

Inuyasha closes his eyes for a minute, willing himself not to let his emotions take over.

_Baka... This only ever happens..._

"Shit."

The boy's curse is so quiet that none of the others hears him, and they all keep walking as he stops. Inuyasha stares at the dusty ground with wide eyes--thinking that he really was an idiot, for not remembering sooner.

_There...there __**is**__ a way...we..._

The half-demon slowly starts walking again, watching his feet hit the ground as he simply moves forward--dazed. He tries to remember if Kagome had mentioned anything during the last part of her explanation.

_She was barely able to speak, then...crying so much..._

Inuyasha clenches his fists, willing himself not to do the same.

_I don't...Kagome just kept mumbling to herself..._

The half-demon raises his eyes, watching the miko ahead of him through his bangs. Kagome's shoulders are bent forward, her eyes also on the ground as she walks. Inuyasha hears the girl sniffle, then bring one hand up to her face--undoubtedly wiping her tears away. The hanyou only just keeps himself from bounding forward and taking the girl in his arms.

_Damn it! Why can't anything ever be easy?! Just for once?! Aren't the Jewel and Naraku...?_

Inuyasha stops abruptly, as his mind drifts back to the beginning and his first love. He lets out an exhausted sigh, bringing his hands up and running them through his hair.

_I...thought...I had said goodbye..._

The boy glances back up, seeing the young miko walking farther and farther away. He feels the pain in his chest grow more insistent.

_I can't...I can't hold on anymore, Kikyo..._

The boy sighs again, letting his mind drift back to the day after Kagome had woken up, when the two of them were lying on her sofa. He had been watching the girl slowly tapping on his chest, trying to get her heartbeat to match his, when it suddenly--suprisingly--worked.

The first thing the boy felt was confusion. It was strange--feeling Kagome's heart beating in time with his. But it was also one of the most peaceful sensations he'd ever experienced, and one that made his feelings for the girl deepen. Unfortunately, the next thing Inuyasha felt was...pain.

At the time, the hanyou didn't know what it was, and that's why he had left Kagome--going to shower in the hopes that he could calm the fear coursing through him. Inuyasha recognized it now--after kissing the miko that morning.

It was a milder form of the suffering she was going through.

While the boy was bathing--letting the hot water run over his tense muscles in order to calm his panic--Inuyasha had also felt another pain. The one that was breaking his heart.

The boy had cried that day, the short connection with the young miko having brought his own suffering to the surface. He had finally been able to grieve over the loss of his first love, the pain that he had been feeling for days being released as he sat on his knees, his silver-haired head in his hands.

Inuyasha stayed in that position for a long time--mourning the loss of the beautiful miko. But he knew that he couldn't stay there forever. There was someone who needed him.

So the half-demon had pulled himself together, finishing his shower and simply standing in the damp-aired bathroom, staring at his expression in the mirror. He scrutinized his dark golden gaze, wondering at the fact that he felt..._better_. Not..._good_, exactly, but better than he did before. It was then that he heard the sob.

_Kagome..._

The boy didn't know what had happened to her, but he was _not_ going to let the girl live with her current despair. Inuyasha knew that the miko was fragile, and he had already come too close to losing her.

It was that thought that made up the hanyou's mind. He would do two things, silently promising them to himself.

First, he would help Kagome get back to her annoyingly, bouncy self--in any way that he could.

And second, he would mourn over his first love no longer. He would move on with his life.

So the boy had left the bathroom, grabbing his robes, all the towels, and the girl's bedsheets before heading back to the miko, who was very close to crying. Feeling a pressure on his chest, Inuyasha had knelt beside her, asking what was wrong and ignoring the confused look that Kagome gave him.

_She was __**not**__ fine, despite what she said..._

The half-demon growls lightly to himself, glancing to his right at the wide valley spread before him, the late afternoon sun hovering over a distant mountain lake between two peaks. He stares absently at the water as he walks, finally slowing to a stop as the reflection from the deep orange disk shimmers in a light wind. The boy growls again.

_I've helped Kagome. I know that much. She's not completely back to normal, but she's getting there... Or she was, until this morning..._

Inuyasha slowly turns his head, watching Kagome and the others heading toward the dark green line in front of them, an ominous shadow over the trees despite the light shining on them.

The girl suddenly stops, keeping her eyes on the ground as she clenches her fists. The hanyou watches her for several moments, until Kagome slowly starts walking again.

Inuyasha feels his heart break.

_I've been...holding back... I know I have. Otherwise...I would've kissed her a long time ago..._

The boy watches the miko's slow steps, her body moving only because of her will to do so. Inuyasha regrettably draws his gaze away, glancing down at the water again, finally ready to do what he'd already promised.

_I can't hold on anymore, Kikyo... I don't know why I have for this long... Probably because I've been too...scared..._

The half-demon closes his eyes, taking a deep breath and letting the air slowly out of his lungs.

_I can...now... I'm ready...to..._

Inuyasha turns, his eyes again finding the figure of the miko. He continues to watch Kagome for almost a full minute, finally willing to admit what he had felt for the girl for so long.

The boy again draws his gaze back to the water, silently mouthing the words that would allow him to move on, a soft, warm wind swirling his silver hair around him as he speaks.

_Goodbye...Kikyo..._

Inuyasha barely catches Kagome when she faints.

* * *

Ummm... What was I going to put...? I'll_ try_ to get the next chap up quick, but I've got to update another story first, then 'Kiss' for those of you who want to kill me right now for not updating that one. But I really want to write this lime, so we'll see. The holidays have just got everything all mixed up. Is that all? I think so... 


	14. Understandings

Here you go. Chap 14, the one with the _very_ nice lime at the end. It's also extra long, too, since I wanted to get the lime in this one. Still haven't done anything w/Kags powers, cuz this one ended up being so long. _Should_ remedy that in #15, as long as my brain doesn't wander. Um...I think that's all. Oh, the lime is...well, _nice, _to put it mildly. I think. Don't say I didn't warn you. ;) And please ignore my rant at the end... I'm fine, I promise...

* * *

"This has gone on long enough. What's wrong with her, Inuyasha?"

The hanyou stares at the slayer kneeling beside him, from his position under the miko. He had landed there when he dove under the girl to prevent her from hitting the ground. Inuyasha didn't want to tell the others, but he knew that their friends were only worried for the young priestess. The boy closes his eyes, sighing resignedly before he speaks.

"Kagome...is depressed," he says, slowly raising himself into a sitting position and cradling the girl in his arms. He pushes Kagome's bangs off of her face, letting his fingers linger against her skin, the tears still fresh on her cheeks.

Everyone else pauses in awkward silence, before Sango slowly reaches forward and presses two of her fingers against the girl's neck, then rests her palm on the miko's brow.

"Her heart is beating a little fast, and she's warm. I think...Kagome's just fainted, but we should keep an eye on her for the next few hours, just in case," the tajiya says quietly, reaching for the girl's bow and quiver.

"Depressed? What does that mean?"

Miroku, Sango, and Inuyasha glance at each other in turn before looking at the kitsune perched on the monk's shoulder, confusion on his young face.

"I don't know how common it is in Kagome's time, but you don't see it often, now," Miroku says, bending to help Sango remove the miko's backpack. "It means that she's not happy, Shippo."

"Not...happy? But...Kagome's always been happy," the fox says, frowning.

"I know...," Inuyasha growls, lifting Kagome into his arms as the others take her things. "...but she's not now. And it's not something that you can fix easily."

The small demon jumps from the monk's shoulder to the hanyou's, tilting his head as he gazes at the miko's tear-streaked face.

"Why not? Can't Kagome just...eat one of those brown sweet bar-things they have in her time and feel better?" Shippo asks.

The adults all exchange saddened glances--and even Kilala lets out a mournful mew--before Miroku speaks again.

"No, Shippo. Right now, Kagome feels as if she'll never be happy again." The monk sighs when the fox frowns at him. "Imagine the most horrible feeling you've ever had, Shippo. Now think about feeling that way all the time--every minute of every day. _That_ is how Kagome feels."

The kitsune stares at the hoshin for a few seconds, letting his words sink in before he turns back to the miko, his face falling as he understands. "But...is there any way...to help her?" he asks, his voice quiet.

"I think Inuyasha has been," Sango says after a minute, giving the hanyou a small smile.

The boy can feel the insides of his ears starting to burn at the tajiya's words. It didn't take a genius to figure out that the others knew that the two of them had been sleeping together.

_Even though we tried not to be obvious... _the demon thinks, trying to stifle his embarrassment.

"Is there anything we can do, Inuyasha? You know we want to help Kagome get better," she asks softly, brushing a strand of the miko's hair behind her ear in an almost motherly gesture. "Maybe if we knew what happened to her..."

The hanyou watches the girl for a moment before sighing. Kagome hadn't told him not to tell the others why she was depressed, but Inuyasha knew better than that. It had taken the miko over a month to finally be able to tell _him_, and he had been a part of it.

Though he hated to keep them in the dark--considering their concern--the others couldn't know what had happened to the girl to make her end up like this. It was something private between Kagome and himself, and Inuyasha had absolutely no intention whatsoever of revealing what had actually occurred.

"No, Sango. Kagome is going to have to work through this... on her own," he says, trying to make his words as gentle as possible, keeping his eyes determinedly on the young priestess as he tries to ignore the irritated glares that are being aimed at him.

"You mean...with _your_ help, though--right? Why? What...?"

"She told you--didn't she--Inuyasha? Kagome told you the reason she's depressed," Miroku says, interrupting the slayers' angry questions. The monk sighs when Inuyasha inclines his head a little at the other boy. "It's that bad?"

The hanyou frowns, considering the hoshin's simple question. "Yes," he finally whispers, only just keeping his voice from sounding choked.

"And Kagome doesn't want us to know?"

Inuyasha turns back to the slayer, sighing again. "She didn't tell me not to tell you, but...," the boy stops, glancing down at the girl in his arms. He shakes his head. "...it's not up to me. If and when Kagome is ready, she'll tell you why."

Sango frowns, turning to look at Shippo and Miroku, who both look as upset as she. The slayer finally sighs, nodding resignedly at the half-demon as Kilala mews softly in her ear.

"Alright. Just...take care of her, Inuyasha."

----------------------

Kagome takes a strangled breath as she sees the hanyou standing at the tree-line, his face hidden in shadow. She watches him for several seconds, but finally drops her eyes when the boy doesn't move.

_He...Inuyasha...must hate me...for what I've done... I...should have just left him alone. None of this would be happening if I hadn't...if we hadn't... _

The miko stops her thoughts, tightening her arms around her legs as she starts to rock back and forth again. Kagome closes her eyes--willing herself to fight the darkness at the edge of her vision; the crushing pain on her heart.

She doesn't even notice when Inuyasha kneels before her, prying the girl's arms apart and wrapping them around his neck, pressing her body against his.

"Where are you taking her?"

Inuyasha glances up, his eyes widening a little as Miroku and Sango stare at him from their beds. The slayer glances down to the hanyou's hands, quietly coming over to help when she sees him trying to gather the miko's things.

"I...don't know...," the boy says, standing with the girl and feeling his heart flutter when Kagome tightens her hold on him, though she's still sobbing against his neck. "...but I need to talk to her. Alone," he says, taking her backpack and sleeping bag from the tajiya.

Sango frowns. "She can't go into the Forest like this," she says quietly, turning to look at the spanse of dark trees a few hundred feet behind them. "We stopped, hoping that Kagome would be better once she woke up, but... The..._demon_...it would break her. Others come out... afraid, or troubled. But Kagome...she wouldn't make it," the girl whispers, turning to look at the half-demon with an anxious expression.

Inuyasha holds the slayer's gaze for several moments before sighing. "I...know. But...we can't wait. Naraku is in there somewhere, and we have to go after him." The boy stops a moment, oblivious to the slightly shocked expressions he's getting from the monk and the tajiya.

"What do you suggest we do, Inuyasha?" Miroku asks, a scowl crossing his face. Inuyasha doesn't seem to notice.

"Split up," the hanyou whispers, tightening his arm around the miko. He looks toward the trees, determination in his eyes. "Go after Naraku. Try to flush him out, and don't get killed. And don't let that other demon find you. If Kagome gets better, we'll catch up. If not..." The boy stops, his cheeks paling for a moment before he shakes his head. "We'll catch up," he says again, frowning before he turns and walks out of the camp.

Sango and Miroku watch the hanyou until he disappears, the slayer letting out a quiet sob as she returns to her blankets.

"She'll be okay, Sango," the monk whispers, hesitating a moment before standing and moving over to the girl.

The tajiya draws her sleeve across her face, trying to dry her tears. She narrows her eyes at the hoshin as he sits down beside her, tentatively placing one hand on her shoulder. When Sango doesn't move, Miroku puts his other hand on her other side, and gently begins to massage the girl's tense muscles. Sango shakes her head.

"How...do you know?" she asks, over another choked sob.

The monk is silent for several minutes, his fingers slowly working on Sango's shoulders. He speaks when the girl finally relaxes, leaning forward to whisper softly in her ear.

"Because he loves her."

--------------------

Inuyasha whines to himself, tightening his hold on the miko while she continues to sob against his neck. The boy was borderline hysterical, because of the blank stare he had received from Kagome when she had looked at him. He bites back a sob.

_I knew I shouldn't have left... I __**knew**__ it...I should have just stayed with her..._

The hanyou growls, his irritation with himself tempered only because of the fact that Kagome wasn't in an almost vegetative state--like she had been when he'd gone to her time. The girl's eyes were blank, but she was still moving, and obviously knew that he was there.

_She didn't seem to realize that Sango and Miroku were awake though..._

The boy stops walking, shifting the girl upwards a little, because she had been slowly sliding down his front. Inuyasha idly realizes that he was carrying the miko almost like she was a child--like she was totally dependant on him.

_Sango's right...Kagome won't make it through the Forest like this; not with that demon in there. Something's going to have to snap her out of this...but I don't know what that could be..._

The girl suddenly trembles, increasing her hold on the boy and burying her head under his silver hair. Inuyasha feels goosebumps rise on the back of his neck when the girl breathes against him--still crying.

_Hell..._

The boy silently curses his response to the miko, when now was obviously an inappropriate time. Inuyasha closes his eyes for a moment, willing his heart to slow down as he starts walking again.

After an undefined amount of time, Inuyasha slows, tilting his head to the side as he comes up on a small stand of trees.

_Near water..._ he thinks, frowning to himself as he moves forward, his golden eyes widening in surprise a few minutes later.

Lying before the boy is a small meadow, lit by the crescent moon above, and surrounded by the darkness of the pines on three sides, and a stream on the fourth. White, feather-light tufts top the green grasses that are falling softly to one side as a light wind whispers over them, while fireflies blink on and off above and between the foliage.

The clear, bubbling water murmurs softly as it winds its way downstream, lazily trailing over the stones that it has worn smooth over countless rainy seasons. A single willow tree stands next to the water, its branches dipping low to caress any who decided to draw near.

"_Kagome_."

Inuyasha is only slightly aware that he has murmured the girl's name, as the hanyou is so taken with the sight before him. He slowly walks forward, moving carefully through the grasses--as if he's afraid to disturb this isolated garden. A quiet gasp makes the half-demon turn his head, his jaw dropping as he stares at the girl looking around at the clearing.

"_It's beautiful,_" Kagome whispers, her words almost silent. She trembles again, then turns to the boy--holding his gaze for an intense moment before tears start to slide down her cheeks again. She closes her eyes as a pained expression crosses her face.

"Kagome."

The miko refuses to look at the boy, choosing instead to shake her head before trying to push out of the boy's arms. Inuyasha refuses to let her go.

"No, Kagome. We are going to have a talk," he growls, flinching as the girl's eyes snap open, a horrified panic behind them.

The half-demon drops her things as Kagome pushes frantically against him, wrapping his other arm around both of hers and hugging the girl close to his chest.

"That's not what I meant," he says, hurrying on when the miko starts to sob again. "We need to talk...to figure out where to go from here."

Inuyasha relaxes his arms a little when the girl stops struggling, but still refuses to let her go. He moves forward, walking to the yanagi and sitting down beneath it's snowy foliage, ignoring the slight gasp from the priestess when he settles her in his lap.

The half-demon leans back against the trunk, closing his eyes and letting out an exhausted sigh. Inuyasha draws his claws randomly over Kagome's still-shaking form--hoping the action on the girl's back will calm her as much as it is him.

The boy doesn't know how long the pair of them sits there before the tension in the air finally goes away, and Kagome's breathing becomes soft and steady on the skin above his collar. Inuyasha moves his other hand from the girl's shoulders--feeling her tense for several moments as he runs his fingers through her hair--before she relaxes again. He smiles when she slowly moves her arms around his middle a few minutes later.

"I'm sorry."

Inuyasha frowns, stopping his movements. He growls lightly.

"Why?"

Kagome falters, tensing her hands on the boy's back. She also frowns, wondering why the hanyou sounded almost..._amused_.

_Isn't he...angry with me?_

The miko sits up slowly, her brows furrowing as she gazes at the boy--his eyes still closed as he continues to simply hold her. Kagome opens her mouth, but can't find the words to explain her confusion. She shifts her position a little--her knees getting sore from sitting on the hanyou for so long. When she looks back up, Inuyasha is watching her, a slight grin on his lips.

"I'm not mad," he whispers, bringing his hands up to cup her face, running his thumbs over her cheekbones.

Kagome blinks, trying to stall the tears and emotion that the boy's simple gesture had stirred in her. She feels her lips trembling and bites down on the bottom one, a small squeak escaping her throat when the half-demon pulls her forward and kisses her softly.

Inuyasha can't hold back his smile as he caresses the girl's lips with his own, a low growl issuing from his throat. He continues to kiss the miko, a slight fog coming over his brain when he finally pulls away. He opens his eyes and grins again--this time at the shock on Kagome's face.

The girl makes an attempt to speak, but only ends up staring at the hanyou with a very confused expression. The boy feels relief flood through him as he watches Kagome's dark eyes--the light slowly starting to come back to them.

"I think you like it when I do that," he whispers, smirking when the girl's face blushes an instant scarlet.

Kagome closes her eyes, her face continuing to burn under the half-demon's palms. She brings her own hands up, wrapping them around the boy's wrists and intending to pull his hands from her cheeks, but Inuyasha doesn't let her. Instead, he draws her forward, kissing her again.

_What is going on?! What is Inuyasha doing?!_

The miko feels her heart thumping loudly in her chest, and fights the urge to kiss the boy back for several seconds before she gives in, a desperate whine floating past her lips. She takes several deep breaths when Inuyasha pulls away, tilting her head back so that he can kiss the girl's neck.

Kagome moves her hands down, clenches them on the boy's haori, feeling tears start to fill her eyes again. She was thoroughly confused as to what was going on. Inuyasha had been distant since that morning--ever since she had told him what had actually happened between them. Then she had seen him say his ex-love's name, fainted, and woken up to find him gone.

The hanyou had returned, had taken her away from the others--to a small paradise, no less--and was now teasing her with those soft, sweet lips of his.

Kagome didn't know what to think. And the next words out of the boy's mouth make her gasp out loud.

"Is this what you want?"

The miko freezes, struggling to breathe, her tears falling down her cheeks freely now. She desperately tightens her fingers on his robe, her distraught mind refusing to believe what she'd just heard.

"I...I don't..."

Kagome swallows, pausing a moment to make an attempt at a coherent sentence. She feels the boy press harder on the spot where her neck and her shoulder meet, a warm sensation starting to form in her belly.

_Oh...Kami..._

"Not...just...this...," she manages to whisper, biting her tongue to keep the moan in her throat.

A quiet chuckle from the half-demon makes the girl open her eyes, only now realizing that she'd closed them. Inuyasha slowly moves to the other side on Kagome's neck, trailing kisses across her skin as he goes.

"Let me rephrase that...," he growls, "...I meant, do you want _me_, Kagome?"

-----------------

Inuyasha was scared to death. He didn't know what the hell he was doing, only that--at the moment--he felt better than he had in a long time.

Here was this beautiful girl--a miko, to boot--that was letting him touch her in ways he'd only imagined. _And_...she'd already given herself to him.

Inuyasha didn't know the exact details yet, but he knew that Kagome hadn't come to that decision lightly. She had wanted to help him, and the boy knew the sacrifice she had made to do that.

Also, it had cost her in other ways. Dearly. The girl had lost her powers, then--when she had been sent back to 'repeat' those few days--no one besides herself remembered them. Inuyasha didn't know everything yet, but the pain that Kagome had felt was enough to send her into a lethargic stupor, leaving her with so much grief that she was still suffering over a month later.

And--to make the miko's pain even greater--she had been told that she couldn't have the one thing she apparently wanted the most.

Though he knew all this, Inuyasha still needed to hear it from the girl herself. That's why he had asked Kagome what she wanted. He believed her when she told him about that night, but he still feared that he had misunderstood the girl somehow. He just wasn't that lucky.

The boy stops his caresses when the miko freezes, her breathing deep and irregular. Inuyasha can feel the girl's tears on his hands, and slowly leans back, brushing his thumbs over her cheeks again. He holds her gaze when she opens her eyes, seeing his own hope and fear reflected in the dark depths.

Inuyasha fights the urge to panic, partly because of how forward he had been, and partly because he honestly didn't know how Kagome was going to respond. He continues to simply hold her, his fear rising with every second that the girl doesn't answer.

Slowly, the priestess moves her head, nodding hesitantly at the hanyou, then with more force when she sees the smile starting to form on his face, tears still flowing down her own. Inuyasha is about to kiss the girl again, when he suddenly changes his mind.

"Tell me," he whispers, moving his hands to the girl's neck and bringing his forehead to hers, closing his eyes.

Kagome pauses, a frown pulling her lips downward. She had just admitted that she wanted him, and now Inuyasha wanted her to say it? Was he on some sort of power trip? Wanted to prove that he could make her do anything he asked?

The girl narrows her eyes, intending to tell the half-demon exactly what she was thinking, when she notices the way his hands are trembling against her, and the shallow breaths that the boy is taking.

_He...really needs to hear it, doesn't he? Inuyasha...doesn't believe..._

Taking a deep breath and summoning her courage, Kagome whispers the words that the boy needed to hear.

"I...want you, Inuyasha."

----------------------

The miko doesn't have to see the boy's lips to know that he's smiling. It's the tears that surprise her.

"I...nu?"

"I guess I'm going to have to get used to you calling me that, huh?" Inuyasha leans back, grinning at the shock and embarrassment on the miko's face.

"You're...crying...Inuyasha...," she says, frowning slightly at the tears on the boy's face.

Inuyasha waves one hand vaguely. "It's nothing," he says, before sitting back against the tree and sighing almost happily. He waits a few seconds before drawing Kagome against him, kissing her brow lightly.

The miko leans her cheek against the boy's chest, listening to the low growl the boy was making. She wraps her arms around him, watching the moon reflected off the slow-moving water, feeling better than she had in weeks.

"So...you don't...hate me?" she whispers.

Inuyasha snorts. "No, stupid. I don't hate you."

The boy says the words in a way that makes the girl think he wanted to add something else, but Inuyasha doesn't speak again. Instead, he begins drawing his claws through her hair, running them down the length of her back before repeating the movement.

"But...what about..._Kikyo_?" the miko asks, her voice catching slightly on the dead priestesses name. Inuyasha may now know that she wanted _him_, but Kagome still didn't know what the hanyou himself wanted.

"What about her?" he asks, his tone telling the girl that he was confused.

Kagome swallows the lump in her throat. She needed to hear that Inuyasha had moved on, which directly conflicted with what she had seen earlier in the day. But she had to know; it was the only way they could...

"I...saw you this afternoon, Inuyasha. You...said..."

The girl stops, unable to say anymore. She bites her bottom lip again, unconsciously tightening her arms around the hanyou.

Inuyasha is silent for several minutes, not understanding what the miko was talking about. He frowns, replaying the day quickly in his head.

_Oh..._

"I was saying goodbye, Kagome," he says quietly, a small grin crossing his face when the girl tilts her head to look at him.

"You...were?" the miko asks, sitting up, surprise evident on her face. Inuyasha nods, keeping his eyes trained on the girl's. "Oh...," she says, as a pink flush starts to cross her cheeks. Kagome drops her eyes as she plays absently with the boy's obi.

Inuyasha continues to watch the girl, slowly becoming aware of the rising tension in the air. He feels his neck becoming warm, and quickly closes his own eyes, trying to keep his hormones under control.

_Yep...definitely going to have trouble keeping my..._

The half-demon's eyes snap open as he feels his haori loosen, because of the fact that Kagome has just untied his obi. He stares openly at the girl as she draws her hands upward to the buttons on her pajamas, undoing the top one and giving the hanyou a glimpse of her body underneath.

Inuyasha flushes.

"Kag..."

The boy's protest is stopped when the miko leans forward and presses her lips against his, kissing him softly. Kagome slowly pulls away, holding the boy's cheeks in her palms as she speaks.

"I want you to," she whispers, kissing him again before leaning back and undoing the second button.

Inuyasha blinks. "But...we..._can't..._"

"Not that," Kagome says. Third button. "But that doesn't mean we can't do other things..."

The hanyou gulps, feeling a rising pressure in his lower abdomen. He hasn't actually seen anything yet, but the fact that Kagome is slowly undressing in front of him is serving to be very..._arousing_ to the boy.

"But..."

Inuyasha's objection is stopped when the miko lifts herself onto her knees, pressing her hips into his stomach and bringing her chest within inches of his face. The boy takes a deep breath, now realizing that his hands have slid down to her behind, and that Kagome wasn't protesting the fact that they were there.

"Kag..."

The half-demon stops again, this time because the girl has undone the fourth and fifth buttons, and has moved the edges of her pajamas slightly, so that Inuyasha can now see the inside curve of her breasts. The boy isn't even aware that he has whined.

Kagome smiles. "If you don't want to, just tell me," she says, pretending to pout as she reaches around to one of the boy's hands, bringing it up to her bare stomach and drawing his claws deliberately over her skin.

Inuyasha slowly brings his eyes up to the girl's, silently pleading with her not to do this to him. The miko holds the boy's gaze as she draws his hand up her stomach and chest, resting it between her breasts. She splays his fingers, making sure that he's touching the curve of each one before she slowly lets go of his hand, moving hers to his wrist and bringing the other to his cheek, drawing the backs of her fingers over his skin.

The boy closes his eyes, his hands trembling as he just continues to sit there. Kagome slowly moves her fingers over his face, tracing the outlines of his cheekbones, his nose, his jaw, his lips...

When her fingers reach the boy's mouth, Inuyasha moves. With a quiet growl he parts his lips and kisses her hand, caressing the tip of each finger. At the same time, the half-demon moves his hand to cup the girl's left breast in his palm.

Kagome closes her eyes, a small moan escaping her throat as the boy gently squeezes her, moving both of her hands to his head and tangling her fingers in his hair. She pushes on him slightly, and feels the hanyou move closer, a low growl echoing from him as he takes her other breast in his mouth.

"_Inuyasha..."_

Kagome breathes the boy's name, arching backward as Inuyasha runs his tongue over her erect nipple, before sucking on it gently. The girl lets a soft growl out of her throat, then suddenly frowns when the hanyou removes his hand from her breast and moves it to her back.

_Wh...?_

Kagome smiles to herself as Inuyasha lifts her into his arms and rises to his knees, placing the girl on her back before laying on top of her and bringing his lips to hers with a low growl. He starts to remove his haori, then smiles as he feels the miko's hands pulling the piece of clothing over his head before working on his kosode.

Inuyasha moves his hands down to the girl's waist, pressing them against her soft flesh as he grinds his hips into the insides of her thighs. He slides his knees apart, pushing more insistently against the girl as he forces her legs farther to the side. He removes his hands as Kagome pulls on his kosode, lifting his arms over his head so she can remove it.

With a light growl the boy places one hand behind the girl's head and lifts her off the ground for a moment, so he can remove the top to her pajamas. He lays back down on top of her, his excitement increasing when he feels the girl's warm torso pressed to his.

"You do know that you're turning me into Miroku--don't you?" the hanyou asks, moving his lips to the girl's neck as he brings his hands back up to the miko's breasts, gently tweaking each of her nipples between his fingers.

Kagome giggles, then moans against the boy's hair, bringing her arms up and running her hands over the smooth skin of his back and shoulders, feeling his muscles flex beneath her fingers.

"I'll just have to ask Sango if I can borrow her Hiraikotsu, then," she whispers, giggling again when the boy turns his head to glare at her.

"Funny," the boy say flatly, before kissing the miko again, while cupping both of her breasts fully in his palms.

Kagome moans into the boy's mouth, arching her hips upward into his, then growling when she feels his response to her.

"I think you make about as many noises as I do," the half-demon says playfully, before slowly kissing his way down the girl's neck and chest, where he has pushed the girl's breasts together. Kagome responds slowly, as the boy is now burying his nose into her cleavage, and making low growling sounds in his throat.

"It's 'cause I'm around you so much," she says, smirking when Inuyasha glares at her again, but quickly closing her eyes when the boy starts to tease her with his lips.

The miko pulls her hands upward as Inuyasha kisses around the outside curve of each of her breasts--slowly working his way to the tips. She carefully takes each of his velvet ears in one hand, gently massaging the soft appendages between her fingers. Inuyasha growls.

"Who said you could do that?" he asks, not looking at her, but Kagome can tell that he's smiling.

The miko grins, then gasps, squirming underneath the hanyou as he takes first one, then the other breast between his lips, sucking on the soft peaks.

"_Inu...yasha..._"

Kagome feels the boy respond after hearing her murmur his name, growling again as he presses more insistently against her. The miko takes deeper breaths, pulling slightly on the boy's ears so that he increases the pressure on her chest.

When a soft whine reaches her ears, the girl moves her legs--putting them behind his and drawing them forward, so that the hanyou's body is now pressed tightly to her own. Inuyasha glances up, his golden irises dark and slightly glazed from desire.

"Ka...gome?" he asks, frowning slightly when the girl cups his face and draws him forward, kissing him deeply. Inuyasha moves his hands to her waist, holding her hips in place as he grinds even harder against the miko.

"Aww..._hell_," he whispers, breaking the kiss and moving to bury his nose against the girl's neck, trying to get his hormones under control. "Damn it, Kagome. I..."

The boy freezes, breathing deeply, slightly shocked at where one of Kagome's hands was moving.

"Do you want me to?" she whispers, stroking her fingers slowly back and forth across the boy's lower abdomen. Kagome pauses in the middle, moving her hand further downward, but not yet touching him..._there_.

Inuyasha whines again, his brain telling him to say 'No,' but his body jumping in with a loud 'YES.' The hanyou shudders, indecision keeping him from answering either way. Kagome decides that he's taking too long.

"Three...," she whispers, feeling the half-demon tense and smiling to herself. "Two... Last chance, Inuyasha. One..."

"Yes," the boy says, closing his eyes as the girl wraps her hand around him, his breath catching in his throat at the sensation.

Kagome grins again, moving her other hand to Inuyasha's neck and turning his head so she can kiss his lips. The boy moans against her, his breathing becoming deeper and more ragged as she strokes him, his fingers pressed hard on her waist as he tries to stop their trembling.

"_Kagome_...," he whispers, pushing against her hand and whining softly in his throat.

The miko--having decided what she's going to do several minutes ago--slowly lifts her legs, wrapping them tightly around the boys waist. Inuyasha breaks the kiss, glancing at her with a slightly panicked expression. Kagome simply stares at the boy for a few seconds before she pulls him into another kiss, tightening her fingers on him.

After a moments hesitation, Inuyasha growls deeply, then moves one hand under the girl's hips, lifting her slightly while the other moves downward. He find her fingers, sliding his in between hers.

Kagome smiles against the half-demon's lips, using her teeth on them lightly before moving across his cheek and down to his neck. Inuyasha moans, tightening their grip as he pushes against their hands with his hips.

"Doesn't that hurt?" the girl asks, breathing softly against the boy's throat as she speaks. Inuyasha tilts his head to look at her, frowning slightly in confusion. He opens his mouth to answer her, but only ends up moaning again, shaking his head before burying his nose against the miko's neck.

Kagome frowns for a second, but eventually shrugs, moving her other hand up to his ears and deciding that the hanyou knows what he likes and what he doesn't. She closes her eyes when the boy brings his other hand up from her waist, gently palming her breast while he kisses her neck. The miko breathes deeply, a small moan floating past her lips when the boy thrusts his hips forward, pushing against her.

Inuyasha's breath catches in his throat when he hears the girl, and he growls before thrusting again, then again. A deep-throated whine comes from the boy when Kagome moans, and the half-demon seems to forgo all reason and simply begins pushing as hard as he can, urged on by the fact that the miko is almost whimpering his name every few seconds.

The girl pulls hard on the boy's hair to get him to turn, as he's so distracted at the moment. When she finally gets his lips to hers, Kagome kisses him deeply--feeling the boy freeze a second later, a combination of a growl and a whine emerging from his throat. He quickly pushes against her a few more times before stopping, his breathing irregular.

The miko slowly opens her eyes, only now aware that both of them have a light sheen across their brows and between their bodies. Kagome breaks the kiss and lays her head back, moving her arm down to hug Inuyasha around the neck as his body calms down. She frowns a few minutes later--when she sees the insides of his ears starting to turn pink--grabbing his hair so that she can tilt his face to hers.

The boy refuses to look at her.

"_Inuyasha_."

Kagome moves her hand to his cheek when the boy still doesn't raise his eyes. She draws her fingers over his skin, lifting her head to kiss his brow softly.

"Feel better?" she asks, almost smirking at the slightly shocked look the boy gives her.

Inuyasha stares at the girl for several moments, narrowing his eyes as she continues to smile at him.

"Yes," he finally says, turning his head away and snorting as if he was annoyed.

Kagome giggles.

* * *

Ok? Whew. I know that some..._people_ (guys--hello) might argue that Inu couldn't do that without..._help_, but it _is_ possible for some guys. Probably not most, but some. And I didn't want him to have to stop and have Kags go look in her bag for some KY, okay? Kapeesh? Sorry to be blunt, but I've had too much coffee today and I suddenly have the giggles b/c I can't believe I'm talking about this... :P Also, I didn't want to be _that_ descriptive. No random fluids flying around... I have to go hide now... 


	15. Together

Curse me and my fluff. I _had _to put this chap in. _Had_ to. I wasn't given an option. My subconscious desired fluff b/c of what I'm going to do later. I debated on telling you guys this, but I feel generous and happy now, b/c of this chap. Kitsune Lizzie said that I should wait, but I'm one of those people who doesn't like to wait til Christmas Day before opening presents, so here it is. What I'm going to do later is mean and evil. But it's not until the sequel. ;) Dozo!

* * *

Kagome blinks slowly, a small smile crossing her lips as she watches the hanyou a few feet away. She wiggles her toes, drawing her arms tighter around her legs and yawning widely before gazing at the boy again, who was crouched down, washing his hakamas in the small stream that flowed by the meadow. Kagome fights the urge to sigh.

Inuyasha is naked except for the beads that encircle his neck.

_Kami, he's gorgeous..._

The girl closes her eyes momentarily as Inuyasha stands--remembering the position the two of them had been in--the urge to touch the boy again proving too much for her, though barely a quarter-of-an-hour had passed since then. She slowly slides off her rock, dropping the boy's haori from her shoulders and taking a step toward Inuyasha before abruptly stopping. Frowning for a moment, the miko slides her pajama bottoms from her hips, then continues to the boy--clad only in her underwear. She sees him flick an ear quickly in her direction before turning it back.

The girl closes her eyes again as she places her hands on the half-demon's hips, pressing her fingers lightly into his soft, warm flesh. She draws her hands downward--briefly cupping Inuyasha's behind and smiling again when he tenses a little--before moving them slowly upward, feeling every contour of the boy's muscles beneath his skin.

Feeling his hair tickling her face, Kagome lifts the long locks, pushing them over his left shoulder before she presses her face into the space between his shoulder blades, inhaling deeply of his heavy, masculine scent--a slight feeling of euphoria coming over her at the combination of his smell and her new-found ability to be so familiar with the hanyou.

Kissing his skin lightly, Kagome continues to move her fingers slowly, almost methodically, over his back and shoulders, as if she's trying to memorize every curve on Inuyasha's body. The girl follows his arms down to his hands, where she briefly slides her fingers between his, noticing that he's dropped his hakamas and is simply staying very still while she touches him.

Wondering what the boy's expression is, the miko slides her hands back the way they had come, again tracing the lines of the half-demon's well-toned muscles and smooth skin, ending on his hips, putting pressure on one side so that he turns.

Inuyasha complies sluggishly, his breathing slow and shallow as the girl moves her fingers over his lower abdomen and stomach. Kagome opens her eyes and sees the completely relaxed--almost impassive--expression on his face, and assumes that the boy is content, if not exactly pleased with what she is doing.

That is, until his eyes flutter open a second later.

His golden irises are darkened so that an almost molten fire can be seen burning beneath Inuyasha's brilliantly silver bangs. The boy stares intently at her for a moment before he closes his eyes again, and Kagome is left wondering how a single look from the hanyou can make her heart stop momentarily, then start beating again like she had just gotten a dose of adrenaline.

Fighting to keep herself calm, Kagome realizes that the boy was more than happy with her movements, and the thought makes her smile, as she wanted to be able to do this again. Drawing her hands up, the miko presses the tips of her nails into the boy's skin, feeling goosebumps rise beneath her fingers as she roams over his chest, leaning forward to kiss him again.

A low growl vibrates through the air, and Kagome pauses, unfamiliar with the tone the boy was using. She frowns slightly, wondering what the half-demon thinking, when she suddenly finds out.

Inuyasha growls again, lifting his hands and grabbing the girl's own, slowly drawing them down to her sides. He then wraps his claws around the girl's hips, tightening his hold a little and leaning toward her so that he's pushing into the silky softness of the miko's abdomen, grinning to himself as a soft gasp floats up from his chest.

Keeping his eyes closed like Kagome had done, the boy bends his head until his nose is buried against her soft hair, then slowly moves his hands over her form, caressing the girl's skin with a tenderness the miko didn't even know he had. Despite his claws and his strength, Inuyasha was touching her as if she was the most precious thing in the world to him; like she was made of delicate porcelain, or one of those glass ornaments you put on Christmas Trees, and the most miniscule of wrong moves could shatter her.

Kagome feels tears come to her eyes as the hanyou's hands continue to wander over all of her curves, her skin tingling as the warmth from the boy soaks into it. She keeps her face pressed close against his chest as Inuyasha draws his claws down her arms and hands, then back up to her shoulders and the back of her neck before he quickly moves them down her front and sides to her hips, moving his hands so that she turns away from him.

The girl takes a shallow breath as Inuyasha repeats his movements on her back, beginning with a light squeeze on her behind like she had done to him. Feeling a smile curve the corners of her lips, Kagome closes her eyes, wondering if all lovers touched each other this way.

Suddenly realizing what she thought, the miko tenses, feeling the hanyou stop his fingers a moment later. Kagome doesn't move, her breathing starting to quicken as a slight sense of panic sets in. She forces herself to calm down, breathing deeply and steadily and silently praying that Inuyasha doesn't ask what's wrong.

After a few minutes, the boy stirs his hands again, but the movements aren't as smooth as before, and Kagome can feel his fingers shaking as he gets to her hips. Cursing herself for breaking the quiet passion that had risen between them, the miko lifts her arms and slides her fingers between the boy's own, drawing his hands around to her stomach. She feels the boy's naked body press against her from behind, and closes her eyes at the silent strength and almost blatant excitement Inuyasha gave her, without even knowing it.

The boy holds his body stiff for several moments before he finally relaxes, tightening his fingers on the girl's and pressing his arms closer to the miko, almost wrapping her smaller form in his own. Inuyasha lays his head beside hers, burying his face in the hollow where her collarbone and throat meet and kissing the tender skin under his lips.

Kagome leans her head back on the hanyou's shoulder, suddenly not caring if Inuyasha ended up giving her a 'love-bite' that all their friends would see in the morning. She sighs, feeling a slight heat coming to her cheeks when the boy utters a low growl that she can tell is a coverup for a laugh. Ignoring him, the miko lets her mind float back to the previous thought that had made her nervous, wondering why it did.

_I haven't thought of us that way before..._ the girl thinks, a smile forming on her lips as she realizes that her previous thought was true; that the two of them had become lovers without her having realized it.

Feeling tears again come to her eyes, the miko turns her head, kissing the boy's cheek softly before leaning against him, still relishing the soft caresses the boy was giving her skin.

After a minute or so, Inuyasha stops his kisses, raising his eyes to the girl's face and frowning at the streaks on her cheeks.

"What's wrong?" he asks quietly.

Kagome slowly opens her eyes, giving the hanyou a smile when she sees worry reflected in the golden irises.

"Nothing," she whispers, shaking her head a little. "Nothing's wrong."

The girl closes the small distance between them, giving the boy a sweet kiss on his lips before leaning her forehead against his and sighing again.

Inuyasha doesn't move for several seconds, not having realized that he was holding his breath. Releasing the air in his lungs, the half-demon smiles to himself, tightening his arms on the girl and uttering a soft growl.

The pair stays like this for several minutes, until an unbidden yawn forces Kagome to lean away from the boy and blink her eyes tiredly.

"You need to get some sleep," Inuyasha says, not bothering to ask the girl before he retrieves his hakamas and picks her up, grabbing his haori and her pajama pants on his way back to the yanagi.

Kagome smiles into the boy's neck, pressing a light kiss against his skin. "I don't want to sleep. I'm afraid I'll wake up and this will all have been a dream."

Inuyasha smirks as he sets the girl on her feet, wrapping his haori around her shoulders before spreading his hakamas out to dry. "It's no dream; when's the last time I let you touch my ears?"

Kagome giggles, bringing her hands up to cover her mouth as she tries to stifle another yawn, but Inuyasha still hears it.

"You are going to _sleep_," he growls, frowning a moment at her pajamas before holding them toward the miko.

"Put them on," Kagome says, looking around at the ground in an attempt to find her top. She bends down to retrieve it, sliding the boy's robe from her body and putting the shirt on, starting to button it before she notices the slightly shocked and unamused expression Inuyasha is giving her. "What?"

"I'm not going to wear these," he growls, frowning at the pants as if they might suddenly come alive and try to climb up his legs themselves. "They're..._yours_."

Kagome narrows her eyes, not missing the pause the boy had made before saying the pants belonged to her. "You mean, they're a _girls_?" she asks, knowing that she'd found the boy's real excuse when he snorts loudly and looks away from her. The girl rolls her eyes.

"Come on, Inuyasha. Your hakamas are still wet, and they should fit you, as they're really too big for me." Kagome continues when the hanyou crosses his arms, tapping the claws of one hand nervously on his other side. "I won't tell anyone, if that's what you're worried about," she whispers, seeing the insides of the boy's ears starting to turn pink.

The half-demon seemingly stares at nothing for several minutes, before making what sounds like a cross between a sigh and a growl. He drops his arms, staring almost angrily at the blue and green plaid pants before rolling his eyes and putting them on. "There; happy?" he asks, turning half a glare at the girl before noticing her stare.

Kagome takes a moment to swallow the lump in her throat, before slowly drawing her eyes up the boy's form, admiring the way the pajamas hang low on the boy's hips. The dark colors are also a perfect contrast to Inuyasha light hair and eyes, and the miko suddenly finds a warmth starting to spread on her cheeks.

The girl quickly drops her eyes as she notices Inuyasha narrow his gaze, as a knowing smirk starts to cross his face. The hanyou strides back over to her, leaning closer and placing a kiss just below her ear, letting his lips linger on her warm skin.

"It's a good thing you have to sleep," he says, a light growl underneath his words.

Kagome closes her eyes, another yawn suddenly overriding her desire to stay awake and find out what the boy means--though she has a pretty good idea. She blinks several times as Inuyasha pulls away, trying in vain to keep her eyes open.

The half-demon shakes his head as the girl leans toward him, bringing her arms up and wrapping them around his waist as she sighs against his chest. Smiling to himself, Inuyasha slowly slides the miko to the ground, laying down next to her and pulling his haori over the both of them as Kagome snuggles into the hollow at his side.

Inuyasha suddenly thinks that he's never been this happy.

-----------------------

Kagome slowly opens her eyes, shivering a moment when Inuyasha's haori slides down her shoulder, exposing it and her neck to the early morning cold.

_The temperature dropped last night..._ she thinks, bowing her head to snuggle deeper under the boy's garment. The miko blinks a few times, trying to figure out why she was awake when the sun was just beginning to light the sky in front of her, the trees between the branches of the willow's foliage showing vague outlines in the surrounding darkness. Kagome stifles a moan.

_Ugh...practice..._

The miko closes her eyes, pulling her legs up a little so that her feet can receive the warmth from the rest of her body, wincing at the sudden aching pain on the insides of her thighs and her hipbones. Frowing for a moment, Kagome quickly smiles as she remembers why she felt sore, then blushes at the thought that crosses her mind immediately afterward, the resulting pain of that action being definitively worse.

Opening her eyes and forcing her mind away from something that hadn't yet been decided, the miko focuses on the hanyou beside her, only now noticing that she's using his bicep as a pillow, and that his other hand is resting possessively on her hip.

Kagome draws her eyes slowly upward, a teary smile coming onto her face when she sees Inuyasha's relaxed and completely adorable features as he continues to sleep peacefully. The girl moves one hand to wipe away her tears, then stops as she sees a pair of bright amber eyes suddenly gazing into her own.

"Did you sleep alright?" Inuyasha whispers, stifling a yawn as a slight frown pulls his lips downward. The tone of the boy's voice said distinctly that he was worried about her. He tilts his head to the side when Kagome nods. "Why are you crying then?"

The miko gives him a sheepish grin. "I was watching you sleep," she says quietly, dropping her eyes to his necklace as a blush crawls onto her cheeks.

Inuyasha is silent for several minutes before he suddenly begins laughing--a loud and blissful sound that completely confuses, angers, saddens, and embarrasses the young miko. Until the half-demon pushes the girl onto her back and buries his face in Kagome's stomach, that is.

"Damn, woman," he says, still laughing as he wraps his arms around her waist and proceeds to breathe in deeply, savoring the girl's light, flowery scent. "That's exactly what I was doing last night."

Kagome gapes--first in shock, then in awe, then in embarrassment again. "You...were?" she asks, keeping her voice low, as if she thinks he might be toying with her.

Inuyasha nods against the girl's warm skin. "Uh-huh. I couldn't keep my eyes off you."

The miko feels her cheeks quickly gaining heat as the boy begins to kiss her stomach, softly pressing his lips against her--over and over again. It takes her a moment to realize there are tears in her eyes again, which is longer than it takes for Inuyasha to hear her sniffling.

"Are you crying again?" he asks, a tone of mock irritation behind his words.

Kagome hesitates. "No...," she says, shaking her head as if to confirm it. A second later, Inuyasha is hovering over her.

The miko blinks, trying vainly to hide her tears before she notices the smile slide slowly off the boy's face, followed by the playfulness in his eyes. He frowns, placing one clawed hand to the girl's cheek and stroking his fingers across it. His words are choked and almost silent when Inuyasha finally speaks them.

"How do you feel?"

Kagome simply stares at the hanyou for several seconds before his question sinks in. Her face slowly slides into an expression that echoes the boy's.

"Better," she says eventually, in a flat tone that sounds forced even to her own ears. She reaches up to take Inuyasha's hand when his eyes become shadowed. "It won't be overnight, Inuyasha. But now...that you know..."

The girl stops, struggling over her words and the emotion that rises in her chest at the memory of their night together, and the possibility that it might never happen again. Kagome turns her head away from the hanyou, forcing herself to stay calm and concentrate on the boy's palm against her cheek, and the strength the simple touch seems to give her. Inuyasha stays silent, somehow knowing that he's already doing what the miko needs him to.

After several minutes, Kagome turns back, drawing the boy forward and wrapping her arms around his neck in a tight hug.

"...it'll be easier...now that you know. I don't have to worry about how to tell you, or what your reaction will be. Or what you want..."

Kagome trails off, her voice dropping to a bare whisper against the boy's hair. She trembles, unconsciously tightening her arms around Inuyasha.

The hanyou looks up when the miko doesn't speak for several minutes, seeing the girl staring blankly into the distance. Inuyasha turns his head, giving the girl a feather-light kiss on her cheek, but saying nothing.

The miko blinks, turning back to the half-demon with a troubled expression, her lips set in a slight frown. She blinks again, this time because tears are starting to form in her dark eyes.

"Inuyasha... What if we...can't ever...? What if this happened because we're not supposed to...?"

The girl stops once more, taking a deep breath and again turning her face away, trying to hide from the hope and sudden pain in the boy's eyes. She starts to let her arms fall from his neck, but Inuyasha grabs her hands, trapping them between their bodies as he sits up on his knees, bringing Kagome with him. He uses one arm to hold the girl's hips close to his own, while his other hand finds her neck.

The boy gently tightens his fingers, giving Kagome no choice but to look at him. The girl tries to keep her eyes on the boys beads, but finally looks into his eyes, when he nips her lightly on the end of her nose.

"We'll find a way. Because we _are _supposed to be together."

The miko finds herself almost staring at the boy's words. She'd never heard Inuyasha sounding so serious. Or so sincere.

_Ever._

And the hanyou's expression was the exact same. Inuyasha wasn't smirking or smiling, or even frowning. The girl couldn't quite explain what the look was, but she could read the emotion showing on his face, and behind his golden eyes--which were almost sparkling as the first rays of sunlight started to filter through the willow's branches. If she had to give it a name, she would call it...

_...faith_.

Inuyasha truly believed that they were meant to be together.

"H...how do you...know?" Kagome manages to choke, strangely finding herself shivering in the boy's arms.

Inuyasha doesn't move for several seconds, after which...he shrugs.

"I don't know," he says, unable to hide his grin when the miko gawks at him, but quickly making his expression serious. "But I've never felt like this before, Kagome. I was actually looking forward to waking up this morning. To... spending more time with you," he says, a light blush crossing his cheeks. "Do you know how long it's been since I've felt that way? Since I was actually excited about something? I think the closest I've ever gotten to that feeling is when you make me Ramen..."

The boy stops a moment, fighting to hide another grin when Kagome narrows her eyes at him. He somehow manages to look serious again, despite the fact that his lips keep trying to slide upward.

"I _want_ to see where we are in five years. I _want _to wake up in the mornings and see that you've been watching me sleep," Inuyasha says, his cheeks flaming. "I want..."

Inuyasha stops again, frowning for a moment before grinning widely. He slowly leans forward and whispers in Kagome's ear. As he speaks to her, the girl's eyes widen considerably, and her mouth drops open.

"Hentai," she whispers, when the half-demon pulls away. Kagome is so shocked that she can't muster any other reaction.

Inuyasha grins. "See? Would I have said something like that if I wasn't looking forward to it?" he asks, as Kagome's eyes bulge out of her head. "Oh... And we _will_...," he promises, unable to hide a laugh as the girl pales.

After a few minutes, she scowls. "Just what makes you so sure I'll go along with it?" she asks, turning slightly away from the hanyou, and trying to look annoyed.

Inuyasha growls low in his throat as he brings his lips to Kagome's neck, only taking a few seconds to find a spot that makes her shiver. He doesn't say anything, but continues to kiss the girl, using the arm around her hips to press her closer to him.

"Bastard," Kagome mumbles after several minutes.

To Inuyasha, the miko didn't sound anywhere close to being angry.

* * *

I expect at least 10 reviews for this chap. I think the most I've gotten is 9...? Oh, and there's going to be some mean things in a little bit, but I've been sitting on this chap for almost a month and it was driving me _crazy_! I think it's my fav so far, so it better be everyone else's too! If not...just lie to me and say it is. I can't handle the truth... :( I think I actually thought of the word 'swoon' when I was proof-reading earlier... So sad... 


	16. Into The Forest

Ugghh... Don't really know what that means, but anyways. Uh...little bit of fluff, and the story's actually moving forward now. Maybe. And I got my ten reviews--yay! Eleven actually, so yay, more! I'm so easy, people, really. It's quite sad. And I can't believe nobody commented on the sequel part. (shrug) Oh, well. It's not for awhile, anyway, so that's ok, I guess. Uh...I think that's all. :P

* * *

"You let me beat you."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Kagome sighs, shaking her head at the hanyou below her, almost visualizing the smirk on his face.

"I know you let me. I was suspicious before you dropped your bokkan; because I 'knocked it out of your hands,' " she says, rolling her eyes. "But when I swung at your shoulder and you 'dodged' and fell..._tripped_...and didn't go for your weapon--it was kind of obvious that you were going easy on me."

"You were moving too fast. I was just trying to get out of the way."

"Uh-huh."

Inuyasha grins to himself, jumping from branch to branch as the pair makes their way through the dark, barren trees contained in the Forest of Truth and Lies. He hears Kagome give him a soft, delayed snort, before tightening her arms around his neck.

The pair had done a quick practice session earlier--despite the boy's protests. He had told Kagome that he wanted her to rest, because of the fact that she had been pushing herself so hard, and she had been so upset the day before.

And because they were going into the Forest.

But the miko had been insistent, finally resorting to whispering in his silver ears when the hanyou made the mistake of assuming the discussion was over, and kneeled to put out their breakfast fire.

Kagome had wrapped her arms around his neck from behind, speaking to him in a rough tone, and even adding a soft _please_ at the end of her request. The miko knew she had him when the boy shuddered, a low growl vibrating through her body from the hanyou.

Inuyasha hadn't been particularly pleased that Kagome had gotten him to agree, so he had refused to play fairly, reacting sluggishly and barely returning the girl's attacks. It had only taken her a few minutes to realize what the boy was doing, but Inuyasha was still able to keep Kagome from hitting him.

The miko wasn't amused, but didn't comment on his behavior, and finally gave up completely when Inuyasha dropped his bokkan and dodged her attack, 'tripping' over his weapon and holding his hands up when Kagome pointed her own at him.

From five feet away.

"You could have just told me that you weren't going to play fair. We could have left sooner if I'd known you weren't going to be serious," Kagome says, letting a hint of a whine enter her voice. She wasn't really that upset, considering the fact that she still hadn't been able to land a single attack on him, even though he wasn't half-trying to fight her.

"I tried to tell you, but you..._insisted_," he answers, jumping high over a small, dingy stream and sneering as a faint scent of corpses hits his nose, thankful that the smell is not coming from the direction they're heading.

The pair had left soon after their 'practice,' returning to their camp the night before, and finding Sango, Miroku, Shippo, and Kilala already gone. The fire was barely warm, so Inuyasha speculated that they had left at dawn, putting them about two hours ahead.

The hanyou had found the other's scents disappearing into the _Mori no Shinjitsu to Uso_, and the pair had immediately gone after them, the boy running at an easy lope that ate the ground from beneath them, but wouldn't tire him out unless he went on for several hours.

"You should learn not to be so easy," the girl says, biting her tongue to keep from giggling when the half-demon turns his head to look at her, a disbelieving gape on his face.

"_Excuse me?_"

"You heard me. I said that you shouldn't be so easy. All I did was whisper in your ear."

"And all I did was kiss your neck," Inuyasha replies, smirking as Kagome brings one hand to a point just above her collarbone, where a light-red, circular bruise can be seen on her skin.

The girl scowls, then drops her hand to the curve of her tank top, pulling it down a little to see the identical marks on the insides of her each of her breasts. She shivers a little before speaking, the cold in the air seeping into her skin, despite the fact that the sun above the trees was shining brightly before they entered the forest. Kagome doesn't know if the chill is due to the forest itself or the changing seasons, and decides to change into something warmer when they catch up to the others.

"We're in trouble if Sango sees these," she says, still staring down her shirt. The girl then smiles to herself, remembering how she had gotten the small bruises. "I have to pay you back later, you know."

"Huh?" Inuyasha asks, distractedly--his nose in the air.

Kagome raises one of her brows. "I said, 'I'm going to let Miroku play with them later,' " she says, as seriously as she can while trying to hide a smirk.

Inuyasha nods vaguely. "Ok." The boy keeps running for a few more seconds before the girl's words sink in, and he turns his head quickly to scowl at the miko. "What?" he says, growling and narrowing his eyes when she grins at him, then letting his face suddenly slide into a gape as he stops running.

"Why did you stop, Inuyasha? Did you...?" The girl stops as Inuyasha releases her legs, making her slide from his back. "What...?"

"Do that again," the boy growls, grabbing Kagome's arms as he stares intently at her face.

"Do...what?" Kagome asks. She frowns, now slightly nervous because of the boy's odd behavior.

Inuyasha continues to scowl, before softly whispering--his voice rough. "You smiled."

Kagome is quiet for several seconds before she tilts her head, confused. "I've been smiling for awhile." The girl frowns, pouting with her bottom lip out, not understanding what the boy meant. "I smiled last night," she adds, still lost.

Inuyasha lets his gaze relax, drawing the miko forward so that she's pressed against him. "Not like that," he growls, grinning toothily when Kagome stares at him with surprise. "That one reached your eyes."

"It...did?"

"Uh-huh."

The boy leans down, nuzzling the side of the girl's neck as his hands find her hips. Kagome simply stands in the boy's warm embrace, trying to calm the slightly queasy feeling in her stomach, and the heat growing on her face and neck as Inuyasha kisses her.

"I'd better be seeing more of those," he whispers, pulling away and cupping the girl's face to kiss her lips softly, a smirk coming onto his own when Kagome visibly shivers. Inuyasha then releases her and kneels, so the girl can get onto his back again.

The miko complies, her nerves still making her tremble, and her face a bright red. She frowns slightly to herself, however, as the half-demon begins running--the boy's words echoing loudly in her mind.

_I'd better be seeing more of those..._

Inuyasha's tone had been a command, not a request.

And it was one he expected her to follow.

The girl's frown deepens as the two of them move through the increasing darkness, slowly realizing that she won't be able to see more than a couple of feet in front of her in another few minutes. She unconsciously tightens her arms around the boy's neck, feeling a low growl come from the hanyou--signaling that he understands her actions. Kagome gradually becomes aware of Shippo and Kilala's auras, coming from somewhere in front of them.

"Oh. I'm picking up Shippo and Kilala's scents," Inuyasha says belatedly, as if he had been listening to the miko's thoughts.

Kagome nods and mumbles a soft _Mmmmm_, letting the hanyou know she's heard him. She then forces her thoughts away from the forest and returns them to the boy's demand.

The miko had already told Inuyasha that--though she felt better--her depression wasn't going to go away overnight. Why, then, would the boy expect her to follow his..._ suggestion_?

It only takes the girl a few minutes to realize the answer.

The _logical_ answer.

Her depression was going to go away.

_I'm going to get...__**well**... _ Kagome thinks, her eyes widening in surprise at the idea, and at the fact that Inuyasha had seen it before she had.

The miko had felt the weight pressing on her chest lessened since she had told the hanyou what had happened to her, but Kagome hadn't thought much about it otherwise. Her mind had been too occupied with whether or not she and Inuyasha could be together after they defeated Naraku.

The girl had gotten so used to the emptiness in her heart, that she had hardly noticed that it wasn't so..._oppressive_, anymore. She still hurt--of course--but the miko was slowly realizing that she wasn't going to feel like this for the rest of her life. That at some future time, she was going to be back to normal.

The young miko feels another smile starting to make its way onto her face, and she hugs Inuyasha even tighter around the neck--a silent promise to his previous words.

She giggles when a strangled growl floats up to her ears, loosening her arms as she releases a relieved sigh. The girl then abruptly frowns, gazing at the seemingly impassible trees ahead.

"Slow down," she says, leaning forward over the boy.

Inuyasha slows, then ends up walking when Kagome pulls back on his shoulders. The hanyou turns his head to look at her, wanting to know what the girl was looking for.

"There...there's something..."

Kagome closes her eyes, bowing her head a little as she concentrates, a frustrated expression crossing her face. The miko snorts annoyingly as she slides off the half-demon's back again, walking past him a few steps and turning her body to her left and right before she faces the boy, opening her dark eyes and glaring angrily.

"Naraku's aura is somewhere to the West, but it's very faint."

Inuyasha nods, his expression echoing the girl's. Apparently the evil hanyou _had_ just left them a trail to follow, instead of choosing to face them himself.

"The guys are straight ahead of us; maybe 1000 feet. But...I can't find the other demon. The one that's supposed to reside in the Forest."

"What do you mean, 'can't find him' ?" Inuyasha asks, frowning as he takes a few steps closer to the girl.

Kagome shakes her head. "I...don't know. I can feel..._him_, but I can't find where he is. It doesn't make any sense. It's like..."

The miko closes her eyes again, pressing the first two fingers of her hands to her temples and pressing hard on her head. After a few seconds, the girl kneels down, placing one hand on the ground and drawing her fingers slowly over the dirt and shrubby, brown grass.

Inuyasha watches in puzzlement, bringing his arms up and crossing them. After a few minutes of Kagome not moving, the boy raises his head, narrowing his eyes as he tries to catch any unfamiliar scents floating through the trees around them, a light wind making their dark, heavy branches seem ominous and forbiding.

The boy snorts in anger and irritation, as an unfamiliar chill runs down his spine.

_Something is ..._

The hanyou's breath is knocked out of his lungs when Kagome suddenly lunges at him, knocking both of them off their feet and sending them rolling.

"RUN!"

Inuyasha doesn't hesitate when the girl yells, jumping to his feet and picking her up before sprinting in the direction of their friends. The half-demon's eyes bulge slightly as he dodges something large and green that is sticking out of the ground, and heading straight for them.

"He's in the trees! That's why I couldn't find him!" Kagome yells, struggling to shift herself to the boy's back without slowing him down.

"What the hell does that mean?!" Inuyasha growls back, uttering curses as he passes dozens of vines and roots that are coming to life and heading for him and Kagome.

He dodges several trees that literally fall into their path, jumping high over the grey-brown trunks and paling by several degrees when the branches of the trees themselves start to move, forming a sort of large net to catch the two of them in.

The hanyou reaches for his sword, but finds that the young miko hanging over his shoulder has already drawn her bow, and is shooting over his opposite arm, forming a spread with her arrows.

Inuyasha smirks at the skill the girl has acquired--being able to shoot from such an awkward position--before wondering how her powers were going to work on plants that had no demonic aura.

"Wha...?"

The boy's question dies in his throat as a bright streak of blue of light shatters the wooden grid below them, obliterating the branches and the trees they belong to.

"He's using his own aura to control them!"

The boy grunts, landing and immediately dropping into a crouch, snarling at the vines and branches still whipping above their heads, and the roots snaking their way towards the pair. He keeps both hands on the miko, in case they need to run again.

"There's too many," the girl says, twisting her head around to see another web starting to form around them. "There's nowhere to go. Even if you use Tetsusaiga..."

Kagome's words are cut off abruptly as a vine comes shooting out of the ground and wraps around one of her ankles. The girl gasps, then utters a soft _Eep!_ as she feels the plant trying to pull her away from Inuyasha. She instinctively grips his haori between her fingers, before the boy uses his claws to cut the vine away.

"Look out!"

Inuyasha instantly jumps, just barely avoiding the second vine that was trying to trap his own legs. The boy hears the _twang_ of Kagome's bowstring as the miko shoots, the writhing plant dissolving as the arrow hits it.

The girl grabs the hanyou's robe again as he darts forward, withdrawing his sword and slashing as many branches as he can get to, keeping the slowly shrinking circle around them at bay for a few more minutes. Kagome closes her eyes and concentrates on sending her aura toward any target that gets past Tetsusaiga.

"You can't do that for very long," the boy growls, watching a dozen roots out of the corner of his eye as they literally dissolve after gaining contact with the miko's aura. "You haven't built up your stamina yet."

"Do you have a better idea?" Kagome asks.

"You could put up a barrier," Inuyasha suggests, taking out several more branches. He curses quietly at their wooden prison, only a few dozen feet away and still advancing.

"That won't destroy the trees."

"No, but I don't think we're going anywhere, even if we can destroy more of them. We're in the middle of the forest, Kagome."

"Why bother then? I can't hold a barrier indefinitely, you know."

"No, but we could try to get to the guys. Miroku may have put up his own barrier. We could all be trapped together."

The girl sneers at Inuyasha's attempt at a joke, before glancing around at their imprisonment. She unconsciously shivers, as there's barely enough light for her to see the boy's hair only inches from her face.

"I've never tried to hold a barrier and move at the same time," she says quietly.

"Well, you're going to today," Inuyasha growls, tightening his hold on the girl as their light is blocked off completely and the pair is thrust into total darkness. Kagome curses under her breath.

"Close your eyes."

Inuyasha does as he's told, screwing his eyes shut as tightly as he can. A few seconds later, the boy can see a light glowing on the other side of his lids, and cautiously opens his eyes, blinking to adjust to the swirling, deep blue "bubble" now surrounding the two of them. He glares at the advancing trees that are being reflected back as Kagome's barrier rejects them, but are--unfortunately--not being destroyed.

"We don't know where to go," Kagome says, sliding from the boy's shoulder and looking around, disoriented.

"You can't feel them?" the half-demon asks. He replaces his sword and draws the miko close to his chest, involuntarily wanting to protect her from the danger only a few feet away, though the two of them are safe for the moment.

"No. All I can sense is..._him_."

"Well, what good are you?"

Kagome narrows her eyes at the boy, changing her expression to a glare when he smirks. "Can you smell them?" she asks, biting her tongue to keep herself from adding another reply.

"Of course," Inuyasha says, pointing a little to their right. "My senses still work."

The miko clenches her fists, letting a low growl escape her throat before she calms down again. "I could just put a barrier around myself, you know," she says, crossing her arms and glancing away.

Kagome grins almost evilly when she sees Inuyasha gaping at her. He grabs her arms and forces the girl to look at him.

"You wouldn't dare."

The miko shrugs, almost giggling when the boy draws her into a crushing hug.

"Just you try it," he says, nuzzling into the crook of her neck.

"Aren't we a happy little couple?"

Kagome and Inuyasha quickly glance up, the girl gasping in surprise while the boy's expression drops into an angry glare at the figure laying on the top of the miko's barrier.

* * *

Ok? La la la... :) 


	17. Shinku

#17, everybody. Hope you like it. Dozo!

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The demon smirks at the two below him, the hanyou staring at him with blatant hatred, while the girl simply gapes in shock. He grins, wondering if it was possible to lure her away from the silver-haired boy.

"Are you the demon who lives in this forest?" the woman says suddenly, turning in the other demon's arms so that she can get a better look at him. Her innocent look slowly slides into a glare when he doesn't answer, as he is continuing to assess their relationship.

_Nope..._ the demon thinks, a slight pout crossing his face when the half-human boy seems to realize what he's doing and tightens his arms around the girl, drawing her almost completely under the red sleeves of his robe, a low warning growl vibrating the air under the blue barrier.

_So pretty, too... _

"Yes, I am."

The demon winks to the girl as he pokes one clawed finger through the roots supporting him, pouting again when it fails to pierce the translucent bubble.

"Oohhh... That's not fair," he whines, rising from his elbows and shifting into a cross-legged position, the woven wooden structure moving to accomodate him. He ignores the gapes coming from below him. "We were going to have such fun together. I already have your friends, you know."

Kagome and Inuyasha visibly stiffen at this news, their shock quickly changing to anger as they glare at the emerald-haired demon grinning above them.

"What have you done with them?" the hanyou growls, moving Kagome a little to his right side and using his other hand to slide a small part of his sword out of it's scabbard in a threatening gesture.

The demon blinks, then catches himself before laughing outright at the pair, managing to stifle his amusement to a low chuckle.

"You can't beat me with that, silly," the demon says, waving one hand dismissively. "I control this whole forest. A little _sword_ isn't going to make much of a diff..."

The demon stops as Inuyasha withdraws Tetsusaiga, his deep gray eyes widening as he watches the hanyou's weapon transform.

"What were you saying about little?" the half-demon asks, smirking and ignoring an exasperated sigh from Kagome.

The demon stares for several seconds before rolling his eyes, albeit with only a slight hint of annoyance.

"Oh, please. Size isn't everything, you know."

Despite herself, Kagome utters a small laugh, drawing a glare and a growl from the boy beside her, and not a comfortable tightening of his arm around her waist. She quickly wipes the grin off her face, glaring at the boy for a second before turning it on the demon again.

"Why are you doing this?" she asks, trying to get Inuyasha to loosen his hold so she can breathe.

"My dear, beautiful, little woman, I have been showing people their deepest fears and desires for a _very_ long time. Me and my forest _thrive _on the two emotions that humans emit when they see what lies within their hearts. The trees would not be nearly this large if they had to grow all by themselves," he says, almost scoffing at the very idea as he takes a branch in one hand and rubs it against one of his olive-colored cheeks, as if the plant was something fuzzy and warm. The demon then glances at the pair, grinning at the shock that has come across their faces. "They are the most powerful emotions, you know. For my purposes. Fear and desire."

Kagome frowns as the demon's words reach her ears. _Fear and desire? I can think of some other emotions that would be more powerful than those two. Hatred...jealousy...love..._

The young miko drops her eyes to the ground, pretending to concentrate on keeping her barrier up as her cheeks warm. She feels Inuyasha tighten his arm even more around her waist, his body tensing and a slight vibration moving against her back from the boy's chest. The growl is so light that she can't even hear it.

Curious as to what Inuyasha is thinking, Kagome raises her eyes back up, briefly catching the demon's penetrating gaze, one brow arched over his thin features. Somehow getting the idea that he knows what she was just thinking, the girl quickly turns to the hanyou, frowning again when she sees him simply staring with an almost blank expression.

Before she can figure out what's wrong, the demon speaks again.

"You're probably wondering why I think those two are more powerful than say, anger or pride? Or sadness? Despair? I'll tell you why."

"Anger--in any of it's forms--is too volatile. Jealousy and sadness are the same. You show someone a vision that makes them feel any of those emotions, and they'll die on you before you get anything useful out of them. They'll overreact, and their bodies can't handle the stress," the demon says, when he sees the confusion on Kagome's face. He glances quickly to Inuyasha, but sees the boy still staring at him almost impassively, so he goes on.

"Pride is actually not that powerful of an emotion, unless you find a true warrior--someone who...well, that's much too complicated to explain," he says, waving one arm dismissively. "And anyone who already feels despair, I almost always let go. I'm probably not going to get anything useful from them, and they're likely to die on me, anyway."

Kagome somehow manages to stop herself from crying out when Inuyasha's claws dig into her abdomen. He doesn't cut her, though, and the girl can feel the boy's hand shaking against the rough material of her shorts. She quickly glances to the hilt of his sword and sees his fingers gripping Tetsusaiga very tightly, his knuckles almost white.

Forcing herself to move carefully, the miko brings one of her hands up, sliding her fingers through his and holding the hanyou's hand tightly until he relaxes somewhat. He then draws her so close to him that Kagome can feel the boy pressing into the small of her back, even though he wasn't even close to being aroused at the moment.

Biting down hard on her tongue to keep the blush off her cheeks, the girl narrows her eyes at the demon, making herself speak over her embarrassment.

"So, why fear and desire? I can still think of other emotions that would work for you," she says, a hint of contempt in her voice.

The demon tilts his head sideways, then gives Kagome a large grin.

"Why, I can control them, of course. Silly girl," he says, rolling his eyes. "I can prolong the emotion, for as long as I want. Usually it's no more than an hour or so; sometimes less. I can show a human what they most deeply want, or only something they think they want. It really depends on the individual. If I think they are getting too attached to my visions--or not enough--I can change them. The same works for something they are afraid of."

"But I've heard of people dying from being frightened," Kagome says, just managing to keep her voice steady. Her energy was slowly being drained from keeping her barrier up. She couldn't keep it going for much longer, and the demon didn't seem to be tiring of talking to her and Inuyasha.

"Rarely, girl. And _I've _never lost anyone to fear." The demon pauses a moment, tapping one finger thoughtfully against his chin. "Actually, the only real problem seems to be the people themselves. They don't seem to be too upset that I've seen what lies in their hearts, only that their companions have found out." The demon pauses a moment before speaking again, seemingly to himself. "Though they rarely stay conscious long enough to actually speak to me," he says, shrugging before he starts twirling a strand of his hair around his fingers and whistling softly.

Kagome finds an unwelcome shiver causing the hairs on her arms and the back of her neck to rise, even though the heat being emitted from the half-demon behind her was keeping her warm. She turns her head slightly and rests her forhead again Inuyasha's jawline, drawing comfort from the boy when he lifts his head and places his chin on the top of hers.

"Do you only use humans, then?" the hanyou suddenly asks, ignoring the fact that he had barely moved at all for the past several minutes. His features now hold his trademark scowl, and his voice when he spoke was low and dangerous.

The strange demon is silent for several seconds, still twirling his hair, though he has now stopped whistling. He rests his chin on his entwined fingers before speaking.

"Youkai...have better control over their emotions," he finally says. "They can keep them inside themselves, whereas most humans cannot. I can use demons if I must, but humans are really the best for my needs. Most have little to no control over how they feel at any given moment, and have no resistence against my illusions."

The demon stops, narrowing his grey eyes as he stares at Inuyasha, a slow grin spreading across his face.

"You are a half-demon," he says, sitting up onto his knees and hugging himself tightly. "I've never had the privilege of one of _your _kind before. This is surely a treat!"

Kagome finds herself staring with her mouth open while the youkai proceeds to giggle to himself, almost as if he was a little girl. Inuyasha, meanwhile, is growling loudly behind her, his sword now pointed directly at the demon.

"Don't think you're going to take us so easily," he warns, baring his fangs. "I've faced tougher enemies than you before, and the last thing each of them felt was the sting of my Tetsusaiga!"

The demon stops his giggling, blinking dumbly at the pair before he grins again.

"That may be, but you are in the middle of my forest with no place to run that isn't under my control," he says, wiggling his brows. "Your girl's barrier is becoming weaker by the second, and the longest you can hope to hold out when it disappears will not even give you enough time to reach your friends. It would be easier on all of us if you simply give up now."

"Not a chance," Inuyasha growls. "You're not going to use me or Kagome for anything!"

"Inuyasha..."

The hanyou glances down at the girl in his arms, seeing her brow starting to sweat as she struggles to keep her barrier up. The boy feels his face pale some, because he knew that Kagome wouldn't have any energy left to fight back, once her powers were exhausted.

"I can't hold it for much longer..."

"See? I told you it would..."

"Shut up! I said you weren't getting either of us!" Inuyasha yells, lifting the miko with one arm and his sword with the other.

The demon's eyes widen considerably as the barrier beneath him suddenly disappears, and bright yellow light fills his vision. He instantly calls to his forest, grabbing onto several vines as a wall of branches comes up between himself and the pair, only lasting a moment before it's obliterated completely by Inuyasha's attack.

The demon frowns after the dust and debris has settled, from his position high in one of the trees located a few yards away, where he had swung using his vines.

_Where are they...?_ he wonders, searching the ground but finding no trace of the miko or the hanyou.

The youkai then places one palm on the trunk of the tree, using the vibrations sent to the ki from its roots to find the pair heading quickly toward their friends.

_There you are..._

"We can't outrun him, Inuyasha! We tried that before! Remember?!"

"I know that! But did you really expect me to just stand there and let him use us for whatever he wants?!"

Kagome bites her lip as the boy dashes toward Sango and the others, unable to argue with him. She knew Inuyasha would do everything in his power to keep the demon from trapping them, but the miko also knew that he would get them eventually.

There was nowhere she and Inuyasha could run, even if they decided to abandon their friends, which they wouldn't do. The demon seemed to have an endless supply of allies--for lack of a better term--and she and the hanyou could only fight him for so long without tiring. They were just prolonging the inevitable.

"We should have avoided the..."

Kagome grabs onto Inuyasha's haori as he comes sliding to a stop, a slight gasp echoing from his lips. The girl turns on his shoulder and sees Sango, Miroku, Kilala, and Shippo in a small clearing, each tightly bound several feet off the ground, in wrappings of vines, roots, and branches. The two humans and two demons are unconscious--a single, bright green vine wrapped around each of their foreheads.

"I can't use Tetsusaiga on them," Inuyasha mumbles, setting Kagome quickly on her feet and and sprinting for Miroku, who was the closest. He raises his claws and begins slashing at his companion's wooden bindings, only needing two or three good cuts before the monk falls into his arms.

"The demon will be here before you get the others down," Kagome says, kneeling beside Miroku as Inuyasha starts on Shippo's ties. "And I can't use my arrows. They're just normal plants right now..."

"Of course they are. Do you think I use my powers all the time?"

Kagome gasps as the green-haired demon appears behind them, standing on what looks to be a tower of roots, grinning down at them. The girl narrows her eyes as she hears Inuyasha lay Shippo gently on the ground, a low growl coming from the boy.

"Come now... You really expected to free your friends _and_ escape from me? You may have an impressive sword, young man, but I doubt you and the girl could outrun me, much less with two more humans and two small demons on your back." The youkai stops, then starts laughing to himself. "Indeed! Even if you were to disappear completely..."

Kagome gasps again, but the demon is so busy laughing that he doesn't hear her. She quickly turns to Inuyasha, willing him to look at her, but the hanyou is still glaring at the other demon.

Fighting to stifle her own growl, the girl closes her eyes, concentrating on what she was going to do. A few seconds later...

...she vanishes.

Inuyasha gapes at the spot where Kagome had just been, his brain taking a few seconds to catch up.

_I forgot... Shippo taught her how to..._

"Aaahhhh! Where did she go?"

The hanyou looks up to the surprised demon, smirking as he jumps to the ground and walks over to the still-unconscious hoshin, kneeling where Kagome had been moments before, more in awe than angry that the miko had vanished.

"Impressive, even for a priestess. But she can't hide from me forever," the demon says, turning toward Inuyasha and placing his hands on his hips. "And I still have you..."

The half-demon tenses as a chilling sensation runs down his spine--before a small hand covers his mouth and a soft voice whispers in his ear.

"Sshhh... And hide your aura..."

Inuyasha instantly draws in his seiryoku, watching in amusement as the demon's eyes widen, his mouth dropping open.

"No fair! How are we supposed to play if you keep hiding from me?!" he yells, stomping one foot in frustration.

"I only have enough energy to keep one of us hidden, but not for very long," she whispers, watching the demon closely as he glances around the clearing, his eyes narrowed as he searches for them. "Can you get close enough to..."

"Do you know who you're talking to?" Inuyasha replies, turning to the girl with raised brows and a smug grin.

Kagome rolls her eyes, a small smile gracing her face as she steps several feet away, dropping the illusion and reappearing before the confused demon, who just catches himself from shrieking like a girl.

"Don't _do_ that! You could have given me a heart attack!" he yells, clutching at the dark green kimono he was wearing.

Kagome doesn't respond as she watches Inuyasha from the corner of her eye, as the hanyou slowly makes his way toward the demon. She frowns, clenching her fists to keep her concentration on the boy.

The youkai watches her for a minute before he suddenly narrows his eyes, then leaps straight up in the air, just avoiding a blow from Inuyasha's fist that leaves a large hole in the grass.

The demon lands on a couple of branches that shoot out from the surrounding trees--forming a walkway above the clearing--then waves his hand, causing several roots to instantly spring up where the dent in the ground was located.

Kagome gasps as the plants miss Inuyasha by inches, but again wrap around Miroku, lifting him up into the air.

"I am _not_ amused," the demon says, waving his hand again in the direction of the miko.

Kagome backs up a few steps as she sees a wave of roots spring out the ground--heading straight for her. She just manages to yell '_NO!'_ at the hanyou heading in her direction, before she finds herself trapped in the same manner as their friends.

"Let her go! You can have me, just let the girl go!"

The demon frowns at the disembodied, slightly panicked voice that floats to his ears, glancing around the clearing as he tries to pinpoint it's source.

"No, Inuyasha! I can't hold the spell for much longer! You have to beat him before..."

Kagome stops talking and stares at the strange youkai as he almost literally follows Inuyasha with his eyes, though he can't possibly see the hanyou. The girl watches as the half-demon clenches and unclenches his fists; as he heads quickly back towards the demon, trying to control his temper, but still shaking with rage at her expense.

The miko realizes a second too late that the demon can feel Inuyasha's vibrations through his trees.

"Stop moving! He can..."

Inuyasha comes to a sudden stop as several vines come out of nowhere to wrap around his ankles, making the boy fall face-first onto the ground. The hanyou just catches himself with his hands, turning and using his claws on the plants and managing to get back to his feet, before roots and branches start flying out of the surrounding forest and begin to wrap themselves around him.

Kagome bites back a sob as she watches the half-demon fight his way out of several waves of the demon's plants, flinging curses and unintelligible growls. He finally becomes overwhelmed when the youkai uses a root to slam him into an actual tree, wrapping so much plant material around Inuyasha that only Miroku's _Wind Tunnel_ would be able to free him.

"You two have been quite entertaining," the demon says, sounding much less excited now than he was when they first saw him, but quickly regaining a smile when Kagome's energy runs out and Inuyasha shimmers back into view.

He stares at the boy for a few seconds, tilting his head to the side as he scrutinizes the almost fearful look behind the golden eyes when he glances at Kagome, despite the fierce expression on the hanyou's face. The demon then turns to the girl and waves the first two fingers of his left hand, calling up a vine with several small thorns sticking out along its length.

"No!"

Kagome's pales at Inuyasha's yell, her dark eyes widening as she makes an attempt to struggle from her bindings before the bright green vine wraps around her head, the girl falling unconscious as soon as the thorns pierce her skin.

"Kagome!"

"Oh...I don't think I'll be letting her go...," the demon drawls, turning another grin on the half-demon as he waves his hand again.

Inuyasha switches his gaze from Kagome to the demon, baring his fangs for a second before he feels soft pinpricks of pain on his forehead.

"Kagome! Inuyasha!"

_Huh? Where am I?_

"Now, time for the introductions. I...am Shinku. I'll be your host during your time in the Forest of Truth and Lies."

* * *

Ok? Anybody else hate that ffn changed everything and now you actually have to put in like _'break'_ or something for scene changes? That irritates the crap outta me. Anyway... Um...more demon fun next chap...which I think I might work on right now. Oh, and the depressedness is not over. I've still got mean things planned for my peoples... Mostly Inu, coming up. He is not going to be a happy puppy. :( Can anyone tell I love my Inuyasha?


	18. Without The Kazaana

Hello all. #18. It's going to be a bit sad, I think. (I almost made _myself _cry at the end. Oops. I think that's the first time that's happened.) Uh...I said that Inu would be upset, but I have to do other people fears/desires first. So...I think in two chaps, I will do his. I was gonna do Kags before his, but I'm apparently going to be mean and need her to have some support. Um... Oh, yes. This chap is a tiny bit naughty, but the next ones should be a little worse. I think I'm gonna have to put Shippo to sleep for at least one of them, if that's any indication. :) Ok...Dozo!

* * *

"Kagome! Inuyasha!"

The disoriented miko and hanyou sit up slowly, blinking several times to adjust their eyes to the light.

"Are you guys ok?"

Kagome utters a soft '_Oof!' _as a certain red-haired fox demon barrels into her chest, hugging her tightly.

"The demon got you guys, too? We thought for sure that Inuyasha would be able to handle him," Shippo says, turning a frown on the hanyou.

The half-demon sends a glare at the kit before he looks around, shading his sensitive eyes from the bright whiteness of the room, and seeing Sango, Kilala, and Miroku walking slowly towards him and Kagome.

Everything the boy could see was pure white--from the ceiling to the floor--and made of some kind of soft but firm material, like the group's sleeping mats. There were no doors or windows--no way to escape--and nothing other than the six companions in the room.

With the exception of Kilala, everyone is wearing what looks to be something similar to their practice clothes. Inuyasha, Shippo, and Miroku have on the standard kimono and hakamas, except that the material seems to be lighter ine weight than their keikogi's. Sango and Kagome are not wearing hakamas, but only have on longer kimonos, that come slightly past their knees. No one is wearing shoes.

"I see you don't have your weapons, either," Sango says, as she and Miroku stop next to the trio and sit down beside them.

Kagome and Inuyasha instantly turn their heads--searching for their non-existant weapons-- the latter of whom growls when he doesn't see his sword by his side.

"They're not the only things missing," Miroku adds, holding up his right hand for Kagome and Inuyasha to see.

The pair stares in awe as they see the monk without his _Kazaana's_ covering or beads, his palm free of the cursed black hole. Kagome and Inuyasha exchange a bewildered look before a slight gasp echoes from the miko's lips.

"You don't have your necklace anymore," she says, unable to hide the slight hint of sadness in her tone when she speaks to the hanyou.

Inuyasha quickly glances down, feeling for the beads that were no longer there.

"I guess no 'sitting' me, then," he says, shrugging, but without any conviction in his voice. He then raises his eyes back to the girl's, frowning at the troubled look on her face, before she blushes lightly and looks away.

"This must be one of the illusions he was talking about..."

"That's right, my lady."

The group all turns toward the voice, seeing their demon host standing a few feet away, leaning against one of the 'walls' with his hands behind his head.

Inuyasha is instantly on his feet, dashing toward the youkai and slashing at Shinku with his claws.

The half-demon stares in surprise when he hits nothing but air, turning back to the others and seeing the demon standing on the other side of the room, in the same position.

"Well, we can't have _that_," Shinku says, rolling his eyes in exasperation. He then stares at Inuyasha with something close to disgust on his face. "Plus, you clash with my room."

The group stares at the demon in confusion, before a strangled gasp from Inuyasha gets the other's attentions. They all turn to the boy, their eyes widening as they take in the hanyou's human form, his dark features standing in direct contrast to his golden eyes and silver hair from a moment before.

"What the hell did you do to me?" the boy asks, his voice low and angry as he glares at the demon, his fists clenched tightly by his sides.

Shinku smiles. "I just made you more...agreeable," he says, failing to hide a chuckle.

Inuyasha pulls his lips back in a good imitation of his normal self, a deep growl echoing from his chest, even though he's human. He holds his irate expression for exactly half a second, until he feels Kagome staring at him, and shifts his eyes to hers.

The girl is watching him with a mixture of surprise and sadness, and also something the boy can't immediately identify. She seems to be holding back tears, and Inuyasha finds his anger slowly ebbing away as he stares at her, his heart starting to beat a little faster when a light blush again crosses the girl's cheeks.

It finally dawns on the boy what the other emotion is, and Inuyasha struggles to keep the heat off his own face, glad for the interruption when Shippo suddenly speaks.

"This is the demon that captured us?" the kitsune asks, seemingly oblivious to the exchange that just took place between the miko and the human hanyou.

"Yes, Shippo," Kagome answers, drawing her eyes away from Inuyasha's and ignoring the confused stares she's getting from Sango and Miroku.

"These two caused me quite a bit more trouble than you and the slayer did, even with that strange hole in your hand, monk," the demon says. He pushes himself off the wall and walks toward the companions, smirking as he draws closer to them. "So...who would like to go first?"

The four humans and one kitsune pale slightly, while the nekomata mews softly from Sango's shoulder. Shinku grins and places his hands behind his back, walking around the group and simply vanishing again when he gets close to Inuyasha and the boy makes an attempt to strangle him.

"I've already told you that I won't stand for that," Shinku says, reappearing behind Sango and narrowing his eyes at the hanyou. "Now be a good boy and _sit down_."

Inuyasha lets out a sort of strangled yelp as he finds himself forced into a crossed-legged position beside Kagome and Shippo, raising his eyes to glare--then gape--at the demon, when Shinku smiles sweetly and bats his eyelashes at him.

"You are already under my spell..._Inuyasha_, was it? You can do no harm to me now, and it would be in your best interest not to make me angry."

The hanyou opens his mouth to retort, but a hand on his arm stops his smart reply. He turns to the young miko to find her shaking her head slightly, a resigned look in her eyes.

"We can't fight him now, Inuyasha. We're already in one of his illusions. Unless he lets us go, there's nothing we can do."

"It's true, Inuyasha. I've already tried using my powers to break free, and I was barely able to wake myself up before I found myself back in this room," Miroku says, turning a sneer on the forest demon.

"And we're bound by his trees outside of this...place. Even if we somehow managed to get free of the illusion, we'd still have to get out of our wooden bindings, and then forest," Sango adds with a sigh. "I don't see us making it that far."

"So you're saying we should just give in and let this bastard do whatever he wants with us?" Inuyasha says, snorting in irritation and crossing his arms so that his hands are lost in his sleeves.

"You do not have a choice, young man."

The group turns to Shinku, who grins again at their frustrated expressions before he repeats his earlier question.

"So, who wishes to go first? Hrmmmm?"

Shinku waits several seconds to see if any one of the companions volunteers, not suprised when each of them refuses to even look at him now. When nothing but silence reaches his ears, the demon tilts his head to the side before stepping up behind Miroku.

"I think we'll start with you, hoshin," he says, grabbing the boy's shoulders and making the others gasp when both he and Miroku disappear.

**OOOOOOOOO**

"Whe...where are we?"

Kagome tightens her hold on the kitsune as she slowly gets to her feet, staring around in confusion at the darkness surrounding them. She feels Inuyasha stand beside her and unconsciously grabs the sleeve of his haori--trying to find something familiar--since she couldn't see anything.

A few seconds later she hears a deep growl coming from the boy, and Sango whisper on her other side.

"Can you guys see anything?"

"No."

"No; that bastard didn't just make me look human. I don't have any of my demonic senses, either," Inuyasha growls.

"You guys can't see? Kilala and I can. There's moonlight coming from a window, but you'll have to wait a few minutes to adjust to it."

The fox pauses a moment, shifting from Kagome's arm to her shoulder. "Uh...we're missing someone..."

"Miroku?" Sango asks, her voice taking on a hint of panic.

"He's here. But you will not be able to speak with him."

Inuyasha growls again at Shinku's voice, but he can't tell where the demon is standing.

"Won't you please stop that, _Inuyasha_? You're ruining the mood..."

The boy scowls at the hidden demon, before uttering a slightly quieter growl, since his eyes are beginning to adjust to the room. He blinks several times, his mouth slowly falling open as Kagome foregos his sleeve and simply wraps her fingers around his arm.

"Oh, my..."

"That perverted...lecherous..."

Sango is so angry and upset that she can't even finish her sentence. Kagome and Inuyasha both move a few inches to the right, trying to get away from the demon slayer's rage.

On the other side of the darkened room, illuminated only by the soft moonlight streaming in from a high window, are two figures, asleep on a mat in the center of the raised platform, a few blankets covering their forms.

The man is obviously Miroku, lying on his back, a slight grin on his face as he sleeps. His bare chest serves as a pillow for the dark-haired woman on top of him, who's face is turned away from the group, while his arms are wrapped around her exposed back and shoulders.

"Welcome to the monk's deepest desire," Shinku says, bowing slightly, one arm sweeping toward the couple across the room.

"His deepest desire?" Sango snaps at the demon, who nods. The tajiya glances again at the couple, her jaw clenched tightly as she tries to control her temper and pain, but not succeeding very well at either. "This isn't his deepest desire; the monk wants to get rid of the _kazaana_. That's what he longs for the most."

Shinku just smiles at the girl before turning his head away from her, leaning up against one wall and crossing his arms over his chest, not offering any explanation.

Kagome watches the demon for a moment, narrowing her eyes at the way the youkai seems to be almost trembling, his eyes bright as he stares at Miroku and the woman.

_He doesn't act like much of a threat...but he's enjoying this. He knows what's going to happen, and he's excited about it..._

A loud gasp from her left gets the miko's attention, and Kagome turns her head in time to see Sango's face turn ghostly white, her expression one of slight horror. The girl feels Inuyasha move from her other side, getting to the slayer just in time to keep her from falling to the floor.

"It's...it's..."

"It's you, Sango," Shippo supplies, tilting his head in slight confusion. "How can you be over there and here at the same time?"

Kagome and Inuyasha don't answer as they watch the distant couple tighten their arms around each other, the asleep-Sango burying her face against Miroku's chest, while the awake-one seems to lose all ability to stand and sinks to the floor--slowly, because of Inuyasha's help--her eyes still betraying her disbelief.

Shinku laughs lightly at the kit's words, bringing one hand up and snickering behind it. "This is an_ illusion,_ little fox. I am showing you what the monk sees in his mind; that is how there can be two of the demon slayer."

"Does Miroku actually think he's living this..._dream_ then?" Inuyasha asks, his tone rigid. "He doesn't know that you're just making him see what he...wants?"

Shinku holds the boy's gaze for a moment before he nods, smiling widely. "Very good, Inuyasha. I didn't know you had it in you."

Kagome sees the hanyou sneer out of the corner of her eyes, and turns toward him, frowning at the look of panic behind his dark eyes. She unconsciously shivers, a feeling of dread coming over her before a movement across the room gets her attention.

"Guys," she whispers, raising one arm to point half-heartedly at their friend.

Inuyasha, Shippo, and Kilala turn to look, but Sango had never taken her eyes off her fiancé. Miroku is starting to wake up, his slightly muscled arms stretching over his head before he blinks sleepily and looks around.

A seemingly confused expression crosses the hoshin's face as he looks at the woman on his chest, before a smile crosses his handsome face, and he places one hand on the back of the still sleeping faux-Sango, leaning forward to kiss the top of her head.

"I need to get up, love," he whispers, grinning goofily when the girl groans.

"Why? It's the middle of the night," she says, yawning widely before she rolls off the boy and pulls the blanket up to her chin. Almost immediately soft snoring can be heard coming from Sango #2.

Miroku laughs to himself as he sits up, placing another kiss to the girl's hair as he stands, not realizing the commotion he's causing to the two female members of their group.

_Put something on...put something on..._ Kagome thinks feverishly, her eyes shut tightly at the nakedness of the man across the room.

Sango--though embarrassed at the sight of the boy--somehow can't draw her eyes away from his form, and continues to stare as Miroku crosses the room and retrieves a robe from a dark corner, wrapping it around himself. He then glances back at the sleeping tajiya before leaving the room.

Kagome tentatively opens one eye when she feels a nudge on her left, and someone whisper in her ear.

"You can look now," Inuyasha says, the slightest hint of amusement in his voice, despite their current situation.

The miko opens her eyes all the way and stares at the boy, her cheeks still stained pink. She mumbles a quick '_sorry_' at him, which the hanyou shrugs off before focusing again on the monk.

"He doesn't know that we're here," Inuyasha whispers, again with almost a look of fear on his face. Kagome swallows the sudden lump in her throat.

_Is that true? Does Miroku not know that we're watching everything he does?_

The girl turns back to the monk, who has walked down a short hallway and slid open the door to another room, peeking inside, after which a smile crosses his face.

Without realizing how it happened, the group suddenly finds themself inside that room, watching the monk from the other side of the door as he stares at a figure sleeping on the floor.

"It's easier to watch if I change the perspective," Shinku offers, distractedly. "You'll have to get used to it."

Kagome frowns at the demon; at the way he was watching Miroku. Before she can think much more about it though, Sango's voice distracts her.

"Ko...Kohaku?" the slayer says, her voice strained as she watches her brother sleeping peacefully, his light snoring echoing throughout the dark room, one arm over his eyes and Kilala on his stomach.

"Siblings," Miroku mumbles, chuckling to himself before he closes the door to the boy's room and continues on.

Sango utters a quiet gasp as the companions suddenly find themselves outside, staring at the hut that was obviously her and Miroku's home.

The place isn't overly large, but seemed to have more rooms than just the two that they had seen. It stands in the open, it's right-side facing what the miko assumes to be the forest containing the Bone Eater's Well, putting them somewhere in Kaede's village. On the back side is a nice-sized garden; behind that, a small shrine and the beginnings of a field. To the left is another, smaller building, which has a light plume of smoke floating above it's roof.

The miko briefly wonders what the other building is before she hears Sango mumble an almost inaudible '_kiln_,' her brain taking a few moments to realize that the slayer was still able to practice her calling in Miroku's dream world.

"Damn," Inuyasha mutters, apparently having come to the same conclusion as he stares at the monk emerging from the hut and walking to his right, past the weapon's hut and down the sloped, grassy hill in front of it, to a small stream that floats away to the rest of the village.

"You'd kill me if you knew, Sango," Miroku mumbles, pulling a pipe form somewhere under his robes, and a piece of flint from another pocket. "But can you blame me for wanting to release a little stress?"

Inuyasha, Shippo, and Kagome exchange a confused glance, wondering what the monk was referring to. Sango simply continues to stare at the boy, silent tears starting to fill her eyes, though the others don't know why.

The group continues to watch the hoshin as he sits by the water, gazing into it distractedly, a grin crossing his lips every few minutes while a soft '_o_' of smoke leaves them in between the smiles. The sun starts to rise behind him, illuminating Miroku's profile in it's soft light.

"And now...for the fear," Shinku whispers, as he crouches near the ground in a poised position.

Kagome finds herself shivering at the tone of the demon's voice, while Inuyasha and even Shippo and Kilala seem to be almost snarling behind her. She turns to the boys to find Sango's dark eyes wide and fearful, much to Shinku's pleasure, the miko is sure. It takes the girl a minute to realize the area is darkening again.

"What's going on?" Shippo asks, looking around them as the sunlight starts to slowly disappear.

"I don't know...," Inuyasha mutters, glancing over the monk's head to his home. "...something is blocking out the light..."

Kagome drops her eyes from the hanyou to the monk, seeing Miroku frown to himself, before turning around to stare at his distant hut. The boy doesn't move for several seconds, but eventually stands, taking a few tentative steps toward the building.

A quiet curse from the hoshin sounds just before he breaks into a run.

"Sango! Kohaku!"

The group collectively gasps as a swarm of demons appears over the hut, their mouths open wide as they prepare to attack the dwelling. Miroku sprints as fast as he can, sliding to a stop beside the armory and grabbing a spare staff from inside the door-flap, taking a few seconds to pour some of his spiritual power into it before he starts attacking.

"Where are they?! The slayer's who killed our kin?!" the demons yell. Several of the snakes, centepedes, and other assorted youkai land on the ground, surrounding Miroku as he fights his way back toward the hut.

"Miroku?!"

Kagome almost cries out at the despair in Sango's voice, dropping to her knees and hugging the other girl around the arms, tears filling her eyes when the tajiya grabs onto her desperately. She hears Inuyasha make a strangled growl in his throat, and knows that he's anxious for Miroku's safety. The boy takes a few steps forward to see if he can do anything to help, before Shinku's voice stops the half-demon.

"You cannot help him."

The group turns back to Shinku, disgusted looks crossing the hanyou and kitsune's faces at the obvioius pleasure showing in the demon's expression. He spares them a small glance before turning back to the battle.

"You are not part of this illusion. You cannot interract with the monk or anyone else. You can only watch."

Kagome shivers again at the almost indifferent way he had spoken.

_He really doesn't care what his illusion does to us. He didn't seem that bad before...but we really don't matter as long as he gets what he wants..._

"Miroku!"

The companions turn quickly the other way at the familiar voice, gasping as they see another, half-demon Inuyasha running towards the hut, using Tetsusaiga on several demons that head towards him.

The youkai disappear in a sprinkling of multi-colored dust, after which dream-Inuyasha heads toward the monk, slashing enemies left and right. Miroku gives the other boy a head-nod as he stops beside him, his mouth set in a grimace.

"Who did you piss off this time?" Inuyasha asks, smirking at the hoshin, who scowls. "Your _Wind Tunnel_ sure would come in handy right about now."

"I know that, Inuyasha. But there was the whole 'defeating Naraku' incident that made it disappear, or do you not remember?" Miroku asks, twirling his staff above his head and killing several demons at once.

"Of course I remember," the hanyou says, raising his sword above his head and releasing his _Windscar_. The boy stops to breathe a moment before speaking again. "Where are...?"

Inuyasha #2 doesn't get to finish his sentence as the sound of cracking and splintering wood reaches the two boy's ears. Miroku's expression turns from dread to horror as a slight gap in the flow of demons allows the pair to see hundreds of youkai on the roof of his hut, their combined weight making it collapse, followed a few seconds later by the rest of the building.

"NOOO!"

The monk drops his staff and sprints toward his demolished home, ignoring yells from Inuyasha that there were still too many demons to defeat.

Miroku dashes among the debris, ignoring the wounds he's taking from the enemy until he suddenly finds himself in the air, the jaw of a some kind of worm clamped around his torso.

The hoshin struggles for several seconds, spewing angry, frightened curses at the demon until a pair of claws comes out of nowhere and demolishes it before an arm wraps around his waist.

The boy struggles against his friend, trying to get back to his home, but unable to break free of the hanyou's hold.

"Let me go, Inuyasha! Sango and Kohaku and Kilala are inside!" he screams, forcing the other boy to pin his arms painfully to his sides.

"It's...too late," Inuyasha chokes, shaking his head in disbelief as what's left of the hut is carried away by the demon-horde.

Miroku glances up, tears starting to fall down his cheeks as he falls to his knees, sobbing into the dew-covered grass as it twinkles in the morning sunlight.

* * *

See? Crying... :(


	19. Those We Killed

OK, guys. I need to tell you this before the chap, b/c you won't care afterwards, if that's a hint. I am _very _evil in this chap. I have no idea where it came from, but it's still evil. And this is still an anguish fic guys. You've been warned. ;)

Ok, yakitori is just grilled chicken (any part of the bird) on a stick. The meat is soaked in a mixture of sugar, mirin or sake, honey or maple syrup, and soya sauce (Is this soy?), and alternated with negi (Japanese leeks), leeks, or green onions on a wooden skewer, before grilled or baked.

Gyoza is what I call 'potstickers,' which can be found in several restaurants in the US. Or something like them. It's ground pork, cabbage, nira, leek, or green onions, garlic, ginger, sake, sesame oil, salt and pepper, and soya sauce. You mix the ingredients, then fill the center of a small piece of dough with it, folding the edges over to form a 'pouch,' or gyoza, then cook until brown, and dip in a sauce of soya sauce and vinegar. That's not all the directions, but you get the jist of them. I am so hungry now...

Ok, well, dozo(!), and don't hate me too much after you finish reading. And...I just forgot what I ws going to say. Oh! This chap's longer than normal. But that's ok. I didn't want to cliff-hangar you too bad, so I was nice. Well... in that regard. And I hope it's not too hard to follow. There are lots of doubles of everyone. :)

* * *

"I think that's enough. The monk is now feeling despair, and that emotion is not useful to me."

Shinku rolls his eyes, snapping his fingers before he vanishes and the small group suddenly finds themselves back in the white room. Everyone instantly begins rubbing their eyes to adjust to the brightness.

"Sango?"

The girl glances up, seeing Miroku still kneeling before them, tears and a very lost expression on his face.

"What...? How...?"

The monk can't seem to choke out his question and just keeps staring wide-eyed at his friends, his hands held in front of him as if he was waiting for something.

"It...was an illusion, Miroku," Inuyasha says, when it becomes obvious that the women aren't going to be able to speak. "The demon made you think you were living your greatest desire and worst fear, but... it wasn't real. None of it was real."

The hoshin slowly looks away from the human-hanyou, his dark eyes again focusing on the tajiya. "It...wasn't...?" he whispers, his lashes working feverishly to keep fresh tears from falling. "None...of it? I...just thought...?"

"Miroku!"

The hanyou, miko, kitsune, and nekomata watch in silence as Sango scrambles to her feet, sobbing as she makes her way to her fiancé and falls to her knees in front of him, embracing the boy tightly while tears run down her cheeks.

Miroku doesn't move for several seconds, still seemingly trying to digest the fact that what he had just lived through wasn't real. He finally raises his arms, drawing Sango flush against him and hugging her tightly.

"I thought... I thought...I'd lost..."

"No, Miroku. I'm right here," the slayer says, leaning back and giving the very shocked monk a full kiss on the lips. "I'll always be here."

Inuyasha clamps one hand over Shippo's mouth before the kit starts giggling, giving him a glare when the fox looks up.

"This isn't the time to be laughing, Shippo," Kagome quietly whispers, turning sad eyes on the couple who is embracing again. "It might have just been an illusion, but Miroku really thought that he'd lost Sango, Kohaku, and Kilala. He needs to know that they're still here. Still...alive."

The kitsune frowns as Kilala gives a low, mournful mew from the miko's shoulder, before bounding off and running to Sango and Miroku. The feline is immediately scooped up by the monk, then has her fur promtly ruffled before she snuggles into the hoshin's neck, uttering soft _meows_ into his ear.

"Ohh...," Shippo whispers, a slightly guilty look coming onto his young face, followed by a scared one a few moments later. "He's...he's gonna make me see...?"

"_Yes_, little fox," Shinku says, appearing beside Inuyasha and winking at the kitsune.

"Why, you evil..."

"Now, now, Inuyasha," the demon says, letting the hanyou's arm phase right through him when Inuyasha tries to strike him. He then reaches forward, grasping the boy around the neck and ignoring the gasps from the others. "None of that. And no use name-call..."

Shinku stops, tilting his head slightly as he gazes at the half-demon. A slow, almost seductive smile begins to cross his face, and Kagome feels her own starting to pale at the panic seeping into Inuyasha's dark eyes.

The youkai suddenly lets go, however, smirking at the hint of anger and relief that crosses the boy's face.

"I think I'll save you for a little later, _Inuyasha_," he says, quickly reaching across the hanyou and grabbing Shippo, vanishing into the air.

Shinku instantly reappears beside Miroku, Sango, and Kilala, plucking the nekomata from the boy's shoulders before he disappears again, a loud mewl echoing in the air for several seconds afterward.

**OoooOoooO**

"Now where are we?" Inuyasha growls, bending behind the miko and lifting Kagome to her feet. The girl reaches up and grabs his hands as they rest on her shoulders, turning away from the stares of their friends.

The four humans are in what looks to be a small meadow, tall grasses and tons of multi-colored flowers waving around them. A small forest can be seen a few hundred feet away, and smoke from a village beyond a distant hill. The sound of running water can also be heard over the quiet calls of animals beginning to bed down for the night.

After Miroku feels he's had enough time to get over the slight shock at what he's seeing from the other pair, he also stands, helping Sango to her feet before Inuyasha's question sinks in.

"Wait... Where...are we _now_?" he asks, frowning at the hanyou. "What do you...?" The monk suddenly pales, his mouth opening in a gape as the others try to avoid his gaze. "Everything?" he asks, his face quickly gaining a red tint. "You...saw _everything_?"

Sango hesitates a moment, then nods. The slayer brings her sleeve up and wipes away new tears, but doesn't say anything in response to the horrified look on the hoshin's face.

The other three humans watch in silence as Miroku frowns, then seems about to say something. The boy only ends up frowning again, a deep red blush on his face the whole time.

He finally turns away from the others, seemingly staring at nothing while he shakes his head. After a few minutes Sango turns and gives the hanyou and miko a helpless look, but they can only return her stare.

They didn't know how to make this any easier for their friend, either.

Eventually the tajiya moves forward, sliding her fingers into the monk's and leaning against his shoulder. Inuyasha and Kagome hear a miserable sigh float through the air.

_And Miroku was just the first... _Kagome thinks, unconsciously tightening her hands on Inuyasha's and taking a step back against him. The boy releases a low rumble, letting the girl know that he was thinking the exact same thing.

"Well, are we ready for our next contestants?" Shinku suddenly says, _poofing_ into existence and grinning widely at the four humans.

"I thought you didn't use demons," Inuyasha says, sneering at the youkai.

Shinku holds the boy's gaze for a moment before shrugging. "I usually don't. But your kitsune is young enough that he hasn't yet learned to control his emotions very well."

"And what about Kilala?" Sango says, turning slightly away from Miroku and scowling at the forest-demon. "She's probably older than you. Why involve her in this...sick..."

"Now, now. Let's not be impolite," Shinku says, smiling sweetly as he walks over to the couple, ignoring the death-glare he's receiving from the tajiya. "I didn't want her to feel left out. It's only fair, you know."

Kagome finds herself gaping with the others at the demon's answer.

"You're...you're going to make her see her deepest desire and worst fear because you don't want her to feel _left out_?" the girl repeats, her eyes widening when Shinku nods.

"Yep," he says, picking one of the flowers and twirling in a circle, humming to himself. After a few seconds of ignoring the humans staring at him with disgust, the youkai stops, putting the bright orange flower behind his ear. "Actually, she may be of some actual use. I do not see humans and demons traveling together very often. You may have rubbed off on her," he says, smiling at Sango.

The tajiya growls, making a move to lunge at the demon before Miroku grabs her arms, holding her back.

"We can't touch him, Sango," the monk says, a depressed tone to his words as the girl stares at him. Sango opens her mouth, but Shinku speaks before she can voice her hatred.

"Listen to him; he's very wise," the demon says, nodding seriously before he breaks into giggles. "And now... Act II."

The demon bows low, and the group suddenly hears a high-pitched laugh heading toward them from across the meadow.

"Shippo...," the miko whispers, feeling a sense of dread as a small, red head comes into view.

"Aren't you guys coming?!" the fox yells, and Sango, Miroku, Inuyasha, and Kagome get their first glimpse of the kistune and nekomata as the small pair emerges from the grasses, the former carrying a bundle on his back. "Right here! This is perfect!"

"He's...older," Sango whispers, pulling Miroku slowly behind her so that she can get a better view as a slightly taller, longer-haired Shippo lays down what looks like a picnic blanket and several containers.

"Are you sure, Shippo? Last time we let you pick the spot, you put us right next to an ant's nest."

The slayer looks up, gasping as she sees herself walking toward them, an older Kagome and Rin right behind her, all three women laughing at the fox's expense.

"_Rin?_" the original Kagome gasps, her eyes widening as the younger girl stops to pick a few flowers, handing one to her..._self_. Her other self. The miko looks at the others, seeing her surprise echoed on all of their faces.

"If she's here, where the hell is my brother?" Inuyasha says, glancing around quickly as if he thinks Sesshomaru might pop out of nowhere.

"He does not appear in this illusion," Shinku says, almost blandly, before turning his attention back to the two youkai.

The four humans frown at the demon before looking back at the picnic site, each wondering how Shinku knows who the hanyou was referring to.

"So? At least Inuyasha noticed before they got on the food," the kit pouts, before checking the ground--just in case. "When do you think they'll be here? We don't have much daylight left."

"I thought that was the point, Shippo? They don't show up as well in the light."

Kagome stares in confusion at herself, as her older image removes a pack from her shoulders, reaching inside and drawing several different kinds of fireworks from the sack.

_Oh..._

"The boys left to do an exorcism in the next village. They should be here soon," the older Sango says, kneeling to help Kagome empty her pack. "Did you bring some...?" The tajiya stops, smiling widely as she removes several boxes from the bottom of the miko's bag. "Excellent! Your mother always makes the best omelets!"

"Actually...I made the omelets," Kagome #2 says, turning a smile on her friend. "Mom made the rice and the ginger, and...Inuyasha made everything else."

Seven gasps and a soft mew float through the darkening sky, as three heads collectively turn to stare at the human-Inuyasha, who is starting to feel quite warm in the cool evening air.

"That ain't me, you know," he snorts, turning away from the others, but strangely staring at the food a few feet away with a slightly interested look.

Kagome watches him for a moment, smiling a little before an image of the boy flipping pancakes enters her head and she turns away.

The miko brings her sleeves up, wiping away the tear sliding down her cheek before a soft hand against her back gently pushes the girl against something warm and solid. She instantly wraps her arms around Inuyasha's waist, burying her face in his kimono.

The boy looks up, shaking his head at the questioning looks he's getting from Sango and Miroku. The pair nods, turning back to the group on the ground as Shippo speaks again.

"Inuyasha? _Our_ Inuyasha?" Rin says, giving Kagome a sly grin that says that the rest of them obviously don't believe her. "Since when did he start cooking? And why would you let him in your kitchen, anyway? Aren't you afraid he'd burn your house down?"

"Very funny... He's been cooking for awhile now, you guys just haven't tasted any of it," the other Kagome says, helping Sango and Rin with their packs, unaware of the tension that's growing between her alter ego and the others. "He's really good, too. I think mom's gonna start making him stay all the time, just so she can stop cooking."

"Is he gonna ask soon, you think?" the slayer asks, finally settling down on the blanket beside Kilala, who jumps to her lap. Kagome #2's answer is halted by a sudden yell from across the meadow.

"Hey! My vision's not _that_ good!"

The younger miko turns to watch as the older one stands, giggling as she waves to the three heading toward them.

"Over here. Shippo picked the place," she says, waiting until Inuyasha, Miroku, and Kohaku are only a few feet away before she sits down again.

"There aren't any ants--are there?" Miroku #2 says, lifting the bottom of his robes and hopping from one foot to the other while everyone else laughs.

"Ko...haku?" Sango says, ignoring the light-hearted atmosphere and reaching one hand in the direction of her younger brother as he sits down between Rin and the other Sango. A saddened frown crosses her face before she abruptly shakes her head, sniffling into her sleeve.

Kagome is so preoccupied with the other girl's suffering that she doesn't notice what else is going on until Inuyasha suddenly freezes, a strangled breath leaving his throat as the real Miroku only just manages to hide a snicker, tugging Sango's hand a little and nudging her to look back at the illusion.

The miko switches her gaze, vaguely hearing a soft gasp from the slayer as her eyes bulge out of her head.

"Will you two stop that? I want to eat now," Shippo says, earning a bonk on the head as fake-Inuyasha pulls his lips away from fake-Kagome.

"Mind your own business, runt," he says sitting down beside the girl and laying so his head is in her lap. "There are more important things than eating."

Kagome finds herself suddenly unable to stand, as a very amused Sango and Miroku turn to her and her only means of support, who is now so red that he's in danger of imploding.

Inuyasha slowly eases the girl to the ground, his own self following suit when the illusion-Kagome begins to feed his other half, his dark eyes so wide that they might actually fall out of his head.

"Remind me to congratulate Ship..."

Miroku's sentence is cut-off as he sees his double lean over and give the other Sango an identical embrace, now that's the boy's stopped looking for 'ants.' The monk gapes, feeling the girl beside him do the same before they both begin to change colors.

"What were you saying?" Inuyasha growls, turning narrowed eyes on the hoshin, his cheeks still flaming as Miroku gives him a sheepish look, immediately thankful when Kohaku speaks.

"Seriously though, sis. Sometime today," the younger slayer says, helping himself, Rin, and Kilala--who has switched laps--to some strange-looking octopi. "We're starved."

The older monk and tajiya break apart, both of them sending a glare to the boy before they settle down and begin to eat as well.

"How do you like Inuyasha's cooking?" the older Kagome says, nodding at Miroku and Kohaku when they give her surprised glances.

"Inuyasha made all this?"

"Uh-huh. Everything but the rice, ginger, and omelets. Not bad--is it?" the silver-haired hanyou says, reaching for a yakitori and eating the chunk closest to the end. He offers Kagome the next piece of chicken, then proceeds to eat the rest of the skewer when she laughs, pointing to the dozen or so that are still in the box.

"Nope. Not bad at all, Inuyasha. Especially for you," Shippo says, dodging another attempt by the hanyou to hit him. He laughs, licking his fingers clean as he finishes his gyoza, a small burp leaving his mouth afterward. "Oops... Excuse me."

The rest of the group laughs for a few seconds at the kit's blush, then they all sit in companionable silence as they finish the rest of their meal, evening falling around them. A soft purring can be heard coming from the cat still sitting in Kohaku's lap, and the stars overhead start to twinkle brightly in the cloud-less sky.

"I... I don't get it...," Inuyasha finally says into the quiet darkness, as if he was afraid to disturb the peace that had settled over them all.

"Me...either," Miroku mumbles, though a hint of a smile crosses his face as his double draws Sango's into his lap, wrapping his arms around her. "What is it that Shippo and Kilala want the most? To sit with us and watch the stars?"

"In a way," Sango says, giving the monk's arm a light squeeze before she turns to the miko and the hanyou. Kagome catches the other girl's eye, giving her a small nod as she finds Inuyasha's hand in the dark and wraps hers around his larger one.

"We're their family," the miko whispers, so softly that that Sango has to repeat her words to the hoshin. "That's what they want. With so many things undecided right now, Shippo and Kilala just want us to still be together when everything is finished."

The boy's exchange a slightly confused glance, before looking down at the two small demons, who are now inching toward illusion-Kagome's fireworks, trying not to draw attention to themselves.

"Kilala...only has you and Kohaku, Sango. You're the only ones left from the people she's always known," the monk says, a hint of sadness overtaking his words.

"And Shippo... he has no other family. His parents died... And then...he found us...," the half-demon says, watching the kitsune dig through the pile and pull out the largest firework of the bunch.

Kagome looks up at the boy, tightening her hand on his when she sees how clouded his eyes are. She drops her eyes back to the two demons, seeing Sango and Miroku also watching them, a combination of sorrow and amusement on their faces.

"I guess... Rin is here because they want you to work things out with your brother," the girl finally guesses, seeing Sango nod her head out of the corner of her eye.

A muscle twitches in the half-demon's jaw, but otherwise Inuyasha doesn't move. A sudden thought makes the priestesses' train of thought leave the sibling rivalry, her expression changing into horror.

"He... Shinku's... going to..."

"Damn that demon," Inuyasha mutters, his gaze narrowing in pure hatred at the forest-youkai, who had been so quiet until now that they had almost forgotten he was even there. "He's gonna take them...us... away."

As if he had heard them, the demon turns his head, only bothering to give them a wink before he looks back at his illusion. Kagome hears low growls coming from both Inuyasha and Miroku, but before anyone can speak, a loud, screeching whistle fills the air, and several bursts of colored light start shooting upwards.

"Shippo! You're supposed to wait for us before you start lighting them!" the other Kagome says, laughing as she makes her way to the fox and cat. The girl stands back, watching the rest of the small missiles fire off before she approaches. "I don't want you to get hurt," she says, bending and taking the book of matches that the fox had pilfered from her pack, while Shippo just pouts, crossing his arms. "You might get burn..."

The real miko doesn't know how she manages to stifle her scream as her double stands back up, and a bright, electric blue light shoots out from the woods, catching the other priestess squarely in the chest and throwing her halfway across the meadow.

"_KAGOME!!_"

"What's happening...?!"

"Kagome!"

"Oh my..."

"No!!"

"Inuyasha!"

Everyone--real or no--stops talking as faux-Miroku yells at the hanyou dashing across the grass, heading for the life-less form lying against the darkness. The boy doesn't stop at the monk's words, and therefore doesn't see the bolt of lightening that comes down on top of him.

"_Inuyasha!_"

Kagome doesn't realize that she's the one who just yelled the hanyou's name, and watches in growing horror as his body is flung into the air, coming down hard. Seconds later, a shaft of light pierces the darkness, spraying blood in all directions.

"I think I'm gonna be sick," Sango mumbles, trying to wipe the tears falling down her face. The girl is already on the ground, Miroku holding her shaking shoulders.

"I'm gonna kill him... I'm gonna _kill_ him," Inuyasha says, dragging the sobbing miko into his arms and shaking his head at the frozen kitsune and nekomata, who don't seem to be able to move, and only stare in quiet terror at the darkness.

"No, don't," fake-Sango says, when her brother removes his chained-scythe and takes a few steps into the silence. "We don't know..."

A loud roar makes everyone covers their ears, and before anyone can blink, the young slayer is gone in a rush of white and cold, the sound of screaming and horrible crunching echoing around them before the stillness returns.

"Kohaku!"

The tajiya runs after her brother without thinking, vanishing seconds later as the creature returns, snatching her up and narrowly missing Miroku as he flattens an extremely frightened Rin to the ground.

"Sango!!"

The pair sits up, the girl visibly shaking before her face begins to turn a darker shade and she turns into the grass, throwing up her dinner. The boy stares into the distance, anguish taking over his expression when the other Sango screams once, and then is silenced.

"This is wrong... It's just...wrong...," the real monk says, unaware that he has tears trickling down his cheeks, the original slayer now sobbing into his robes.

"It is what they fear," Shinku says, his light eyes glittering dangerously. "They are not seeing what they haven't already imagined."

"But they think it's real!" Kagome screams, turning away from Inuyasha with such force that she falls onto her hands. She looks up to the demon, who almost has a frown on his face.

"Of course," he says quietly, turning slowly away from the girl.

"Move!"

Before the miko realizes what's happening, Inuyasha has grabbed her and flung them both out of the way, as a sword comes flying through the dark, embedding itself to the hilt in the young girl behind them. A blood-curdling scream overruns Miroku #2's horrified yell of the girl's name.

"Rin!"

The other monk's violet eyes widen in disbelief as he scrambles over to the girl, catching her as she falls backward, easing her to the ground as blood runs over her torso and out through her mouth. He shakes his head in stubborn disbelief, but Rin's eyes are already beginning to glaze over.

"It can't... This can't be..."

Inuyasha looks over to the kistune, who is staring at the two humans, the older of whom is sobbing over the younger one. An appallingly dreadful _meow _floats past him, as Kilala struggles to keep herself from crying outright.

"It's... Tokijin," Kagome suddenly says, shaking her head as the others look at the sword a few feet away. "It's...not possible... He would never..."

"Whoever is doing this has already gotten Sesshomaru," the second monk says, forcing himself to turn away from the girl and look at the two demons. "He'd never..."

The living group is suddenly blinded as the two-tailed feline changes into her larger form, grabbing Shippo in her mouth and pouncing to Miroku, taking quickly to the air. Seconds later, a fireball explodes where the trio had just been.

The four humans instinctively get to their feet and scramble away from the flames, hearing the quiet laughing of their demon host over the crackling and burning.

"The images cannot hurt you; only them," he says, nodding his head at the group soaring in the air. The foursome glares at the demon, but a yell from Shippo draws their attention away from him.

"Who's doing this!" the kitsune screams, his tears falling to the meadow and the remains of the five bodies below.

Sudden, loud, multi-layered laughing fills the air, echoing around the meadow several times before it tapers off.

"Wouldn't you like to know, little demon?"

"I...I know who that is...," Kagome whispers into the silence that follows. The girl's breath catches in her throat as a pair of bodies appears before them, their images becoming more enhanced as they draw closer to the burning grass. "But...you...you killed them, Inuyasha..."

"Hiten and Manten...," the hanyou all but growls, his hand automatically going for his sword before he remembers that he's in an illusion.

"The Thunder Brothers?"

The miko turns to the hoshin, nodding at his questioning look. "I thought Inuyasha killed them. Why would Shippo think they'd be behind this?" Miroku says, frowning at the siblings smirking into the air.

"They're not the only ones..."

The others turn to Sango, following in the direction the slayer is staring. The three humans finds themselves gaping as they see a small black mass slowly dissolve into several different entities.

"Hoshi...yomi ?" Kagome asks, her eyes wide as the demon and his group of ninjas spread out in a line opposite the other two youkai, his double-bladed naginata propped over one-shoulder, dripping blood.

"What the hell's going on?!" illusion-Miroku suddenly yells, his gaze focused in a completely different direction than everyone else.

"Why...we're just here for a little payback...," a woman says, grinning up at the monk as an large ice-wolf appears beside her.

"You didn't see this coming?"

The group turns around, their jaws falling slack as a youkai with the body of a bull comes up behind them, a club held in one clawed hand. Both Kagome and Sango gasp as they see him throw a familiar white fur to the ground.

"He was quite..._troublesome,_" Hoshiyomi says, giving Gyuoh a sideways look. "It took all of us to bring the demon down."

"It doesn't matter anymore. We just have three left, and our work will be done. Koyuki," Hiten says, looking over at the woman. The snow-demon nods, sending her pet after the feline hovering in the air.

"No!"

Sango takes several steps forward before Miroku can get his hands on her, holding the girl tightly to him as the nekomata and her passengers dodge the large beast bounding after them, the pair of youkai circling round the area several times.

Without warning, several red slashes appear in the air around the feline, at the same time that a pain-ridden cry pierces the darkness.

"KILALA!"

The four humans on the ground watch in horror as Hoshiyomi's ninjas return to his side, the demon-cat changing into her smaller form as she and her passengers fall to the ground.

"No! Kilala!"

The tajiya falls back to her knees, tears streaming down her face as the other Miroku grabs both the cat and Shippo, using his body to cushion their landing with a loud _thud_. As soon as he hits the ground though, the nekomata instantly appears in Sango's lap--breathing hard--but otherwise fine.

"She is not hurt," Shinku replies blandly, before turning back to the scene, where the other hoshin is still holding a Kilala.

"What...what...happened?" Inuyasha whispers, watching the slayer hug the cat tightly to her chest, while the feline slowly awakens and begins to cry against the girl.

"He was using Kilala for her emotions. He has no plans to kill us, despite what he's going to put us through."

Both Miroku and Inuyasha turn to the miko, a sickening feeling running through them at the almost impassionate way she had spoken. The hanyou swallows the fear rising in his throat at her blank stare, dragging the girl toward him and crushing her in his arms.

"Don't you dare leave me," he hisses, closing his eyes at the monk still staring at him and placing a kiss on the girl's brow. He relaxes a little when Kagome nods.

"O...k..."

"Kilala! Kilala?"

Shippo pulls the tiny, now immobile double into his lap, his tears falling down his cheeks and into her soft fur.

"We need to get out of here, Shippo," Miroku #2 says, glancing at an opening between their pursuers, his expression set in determination and sorrow. "When I say..."

The boy suddenly gasps out loud, before a strangled scream is ripped from his throat and he's lifted from the ground and batted across the meadow by Gyuoh.

"And then there was one..."

Kagome, Inuyasha, Sango, Kilala, and Miroku watch in horror as the demons begin to surround the fox, his terrified whimpers getting louder and louder.

"What say you, little kitsune? Are you ready to die?" Manten says, laughing at the tiny bit of anger that crosses the kit's face.

"Just...tell me why...and how... you did this," Shippo says, forcing himself to his feet and glaring at the taller youkai around him, though his small paws are still shaking.

"We can at least tell him that. He can inform his friends on the other side," Koyuki says, kneeling beside the fox.

"A demon... A _half-demon_... I believe you know him as..._Naraku_," the woman says, unable to hear the gasps from her observers, "...he found us...in the afterlife... and asked us what we would do if we had one night among the living again. Our answers were the same..."

"Revenge, small one," Hoshiyomi says, grinning down at Shippo. "We wanted to repay those who had killed us."

"Evil...they're all...just...evil...," Miroku says, shaking his head at the injustice. "But how did they...?"

"He said he would grant our wish, should he die. This _Naraku_..." Gyuoh stops to laugh, raising his club high in the air. "...and now..."

The humans collectively gasp, as a flash of bright red barrels into the bull-demon--knocking him aside--then grabs Shippo by the tail, and disappears into the darkness again, all in less than three seconds.

"After him!"

"Inuyasha?!"

"I'm... He's...dying...though," the real hanyou says, his tone betraying his sadness as their point of view suddenly changes and they appear in front of the pair, the taller of which is struggling to stay on his feet.

"Run, Shippo. I'll...keep them busy," the half-demon says, falling to his knees and pushing the smaller demon away, trying to ignore the blood pooling beneath him.

"No, Inuyasha! I won't leave you!"

The kitsune puts one arm under the other boy, trying to help him move, but obviously struggling. Inuyasha gently grabs his tail again, setting the fox down a few feet away.

"You have to, Shippo," he says, giving the youkai a forced, cocky grin. "You have to get away. You have to...survive..."

The young demon shakes his head, opening his mouth to say something else when a loud crash sounds in the woods behind them.

"Over here! I smell blood!"

"Go, now, Shippo!" Inuyasha yells, baring his fangs when the kit doesn't move. "I said, 'NOW!' "

Shippo backs away, bringing up his sleeve to wipe away the tears that won't stop. Inuyasha #2 slowly makes his way to his feet, somehow drawing his sword, though he barely has enough strength to hold it up.

"Good luck...runt," the hanyou says, patting the boy on the head before he turns away, raising Tetsusaiga.

Shippo watches in silence as several figures appear before them. When Inuyasha yells his last attack, the kit turns and runs away, his quiet cries carrying him through the darkness.

* * *

See? Evil... Was it that confusing? I tried to make it not so bad... That was weird sentence. Uh... Ok. :)


	20. A Hanyou's Heart, Revealed

I've been staying up late do finish this one. (sighs) Tired now. And drained. This chap was hard. I actually cried near the end, so be warned. I hope it came out alright; I've been wondering about it, but it's what I'd planned, so anyways. Oh, Momo is Totosai's...er, cow... bull? thing...for those of you who don't know. Dozo. And it's extra-long. Oh, and there's a little bit of naughtiness. :P

* * *

It happens so suddenly that the miko barely has time to react.

Frustratingly slow-motion seconds tick by as Inuyasha's death unfolds before them, while the tiny form of the kitsune disappears into the darkness. Kagome--trying to keep from sobbing uncontrollably--isn't prepared when a small, frantic ball of red fur slams into her stomach and begins clawing at her, almost cutting her kimono to ribbons in an attempt to escape, while their sudden reappearance in the white room temporarily blinds everyone else.

"Let me go! Let me go, you monsters!"

"Shippo?! Shippo! It's us! We're in the white room! Shippo!"

The girl feels her heart do a funny little flop at hearing Inuyasha's voice, which sounds uncharacteristically concerned about the small demon. She doesn't glance back at him, however, as she's currently busy concentrating on holding onto the kit's shoulders, feeling a deep pain in her chest when he finally looks up, tears spilling onto his chubby cheeks as his bottom lip trembles.

"Ka...gome?"

The young priestess nods, her own tears slipping down her cheeks as she keeps a tight hold on the kitsune. After a tense moment while fear flickers back-and-forth across the boy's emerald gaze, Shippo launches himself at the miko, hugging her as tightly as he can.

"I thought...I thought..."

"I know," Kagome says, whispering softly to the demon and patting him reassuringly on the back while the other arm holds him close. "But you're safe now, Shippo; the demons aren't after you anymore. You're safe."

The girl feels the youkai nod against her, his small frame shaking while he continues to cry. Several slow, awkward, silent minutes pass before the boy finally looks up and glances around, a hint of a frown crossing his face as he recognizes the others. A slight whimper leaves his throat as his gaze finally focuses on Inuyasha, and before Kagome realizes it, the kit has bolted from her arms and straight into the very shocked hanyou's.

"They were gonna kill you, Inuyasha! And I...I couldn't do anything about it! Why did you make me leave?! I didn't...I didn't..."

Shippo trails off, continuing to sob loudly against the older boy's neck, his tiny paws crushing the material of Inuyasha's white kimono. The baffled half-demon looks to the others for help, but--as with Miroku--none of them seem to know what to say, and simply stare helplessly at the pair, the two women with quiet tears running down their cheeks.

After some minutes with only the sound of the fox's cries surrounding them, Inuyasha moves one hand to the smaller youkai's head, patting his red hair gently, while his other rests lightly on the boy's back. He takes a deep breathe before he speaks, keeping his voice low and soft.

"Because...I vowed to protect you, Shippo. Always. I'll give my life if it means that you will live."

Inuyasha ignores the others, who are now staring openly at him, and drops his eyes to meet the troubled emerald ones that are looking into his own. The fox-demon bites his lip, more tears welling in his eyes as he studies the older boy's serious expression.

"Really?" he whispers, tightening his hold until his tiny knuckles are white. "When?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Inuyasha says after a moment, smirking when the kit frowns at him. He pulls Shippo closer and gives him a rough bear-hug before the boy can retort, smiling again when the youkai doesn't hesitate, but immediately wraps his small arms around the other boy's neck, squeezing him so tightly that the hanyou chuckles.

"I didn't mean that you needed to do something about that right _now_, runt."

The kitsune loosens his hold, leaning back and wiping his eyes before giving Inuyasha a shaky smile. The half-demon pats him on the head.

"I think someone else wants to...er, _talk_...to you."

Shippo tilts his head slightly, frowning as Inuyasha points to a distressed nekomata, who has vacated her mistresses' lap and is now sitting a few feet away from everyone else. Kilala is quietly staring at him with eyes redder than normal, her fur ruffled and standing slightly on-edge, her twin-tails held erect.

"Kilala?" Shippo whispers, sliding slowly from Inuyasha's arms.

The fire-cat release a soft, sorrowful mew, blinking a few times before she rises, meeting the fox halfway. The kit wraps his arms around the other demon, hugging her close and lapsing into cries again, his face buried in her soft, tawny fur.

Three of the four humans watch the small pair in silence, while the currently human half-demon sits back on feet and rubs his temples, his head down. The others purposely avoid looking at one another, or Inuyasha, their emotions too raw to risk a glimpse of what might be visible on their friend's faces.

"He may not want to kill us outright, but this..._Shinku_ is just as bad," Miroku says, eventually, drawing the eyes of the other humans. "He's doing more than what he told us. Instead of simply showing us our fears and desires, he's having us live them out. And in the process...he's slowly killing our grasp on reality. And our faith. In ourselves; in each other. We...our souls, the...they're breaking."

Kagome glances up, finding that she's not really surprised at the quietly uttered words. She stares at the monk, slowly feeling a frown come to her lips as she sees the haunted expression on his face; the despair behind his violet eyes; the deep pain that had been carried in his voice.

Watching him, only just now does the miko realize that the kitsune's and nekomata's..._trial_...had been worse for the hoshin than it had been for the rest of them. A slight shift in his position lets Kagome see Miroku's face completely, and what she notices makes her gasp out loud. But it's the laugh that immediately follows that catches her off-guard.

"Kagome?"

The miko slaps her hands over her mouth, but can't stop her hysterical laughing. She doubles over, placing her hands on the soft floor, her breath coming in gasps while the others stare at her in astonishment.

"Kagome?"

The miko feels a warm hand placed between her shoulder blades, and as if that had been the trigger, the girl's giggles instantly change into sobs. Heart-wrenching, racking, anguished sobs.

"I...should have...known," she whispers, wrapping her arms around her shaking frame, only just aware of the other set that has trapped her own, coccooning her in warmth.

"Known...what?" Inuyasha asks, his voice a soft, husky, comforting whisper in her ear.

The girl remains quiet for several moments, her eyes down as she rocks slightly back and forth, though the boy behind her was preventing most of her movement. She suddenly shakes her head, the now strangely-silent tears falling off her cheeks.

Sango and Miroku exchange a glance as the black-haired hanyou leans forward, obviously listening to something the miko was saying. The two demons on the ground before them have ignored the commotion in light of their recent..._encounters_, and are now quiet. The tajiya slowly crawls over, picking Shippo and Kilala up and cradling them against her chest, the faintest hint of a smile crossing her face when she sees the pair have fallen asleep, their expressions bordering on peaceful. She doesn't blame them.

A soft hiss from Inuyasha makes her raise her dark eyes back up, frowning at the pale shade his face has turned.

"What is it, Inuyasha?"

The half-demon looks up, not really seeing the others as he growls. "No wonder...," he says, shaking his head, then sighing softly when the others give him puzzled expressions. "He's always been using us. From the moment we were caught. The minute we entered this room, he's been taking our emotions...our energy...from us. Constantly. Insistently. It's why those two are asleep right now, Kagome's borderline hysterical, and you, monk, look like you've just been run over by a cart. Several carts. That're being pulled by Momo."

Sango feels another grin coming on, until she looks over to the hoshin, who is still crouched awkwardly behind her. She'd been so absorbed in Shippo and Kilala's suffering, and her own, and then in Shippo's and Kagome's reactions after the illusion was finished, that she hadn't really noticed the changes in the monk.

His normally vibrant, dancing, violet-colored eyes were now almost dull, the edges strained. Miroku's skin is a sort-of grayish shade, and lines seemed to have almost formed on his face overnight. In addition, faint beginnings of silver were starting to show at his temples.

"_Kami_..."

Sango immediately puts the two youkai carefully back onto the floor, crawling quickly to the monk and wrapping her arms around him, gently stroking the back of his head. She hears a faint laugh in her ear and leans back, lost at the sardonic grin on Miroku's face.

"It's not me, Sango," he whispers, laughing again at the puzzled expression on the girl's face. The monk had determined that his looks had changed to fit his emotional and physical state, after hearing Kagome's explanation of why he felt so...tired. So..._.drained_. "I'll still look the same as before. When Shinku's done with us; when we get out. Because it's my _soul_ that's aging before your eyes."

The slayer blinks several times, feeling her eyes water at the obvious despair in the boy's tone before she hugs him again, placing soft kisses against his neck until she feels him hug her in return, holding her so tightly that she's having trouble breathing.

"I don't envy you."

Sango looks up, sharing a quick, saddened glance with the hoshin before they turn to the hanyou, intending to ask what he means before Inuyasha speaks in a low, barely audible timbre, his gaze still focused on the miko before him.

"You have your heart... _lightened_, and then... _destroyed_. And then you have to watch everyone else go through the same. I don't envy you, Miroku. Being the first."

Inuyasha stops, blinking away the faint shimmer in his eyes as he glances away, his arms tightening around the miko. Kagome shakes her head, then finally raises her eyes, a deep welling of pain hiding behind the dark orbs, a very forced, sarcastic grin on her lips.

"There's a reason he took you before the rest of us, Miroku. There's...an _order_," she whispers, earning puzzled frowns from the others. "He's being..._honorable_."

"What does that mean?"

"That means, _Inuyasha_, that you are next."

The hanyou nearly jumps out of his kimono when their captor appears, smiling innocently at the panic that flashes across the half-demon's face. Shinku steps forward, his grin widening when the boy twitches, his eyes darting back and forth between the green-haired demon and the girl in his arms. He slowly begins shaking his head back and forth.

"No. I can't..."

"Oh... But you are," Shinku says, reaching for the half-demon. Everyone gets a slight shock when Inuyasha is suddenly and instantly on his feet, backing away with his hands held in front of him.

"No... Don't touch me, you bastard."

Normally, this sort of response wouldn't faze anyone in their group, but the almost pleading tone behind the boy's words has Kagome, Sango, and Miroku staring at him with their mouths open. The miko is the first one to realize the implications.

"It can't be worse than mine."

Inuyasha risks a glance at the girl while he starts circling the room, backwards, his hands still held up as a barrier between himself and the advancing demon, who seems to find the whole situation very amusing, and is just keeping himself from giggling out loud.

The half-demon responds after several moments, the slight relaxation of his panicked expression letting the girl know that he had understood her soft words, and that his response to her wasn't to be taken lightly. "Yes, it can," he says, quickly looking back to Shinku before Kagome can see the fear in his dark eyes.

The miko frowns, wondering why Inuyasha thought that what he was about to face could possibly be worse than what she would have to go through. Before she can ponder much more about it, though, their captor speaks.

"Inuyasha. You know that you can't escape. Why the charade?"

The half-demon glares at the smirking youkai, silently promising to rip his head off the minute he was free of this glaring hell-hole.

"That doesn't mean I'm going to make it easy for you, you disgusting little green-haired piece of shit."

Shinku stops, throwing his arms in the air theatrically, while sighing to the others. "Is he always like this?" he asks, turning to face the other three with his hands on his hips.

"Most of the time," Miroku mumbles, ignoring the glare that's being aimed at him from the hanyou. "In this case, though, I think he's right."

The forest-demon rolls his eyes, turning back to the hanyou and springing forward, a wry grin crossing his face when the boy turns and prepares to run. Inuyasha comes up short when Shinku appears in front of him, grabbing him in a head-lock.

"They never learn...," he mumbles, vanishing in a puff of smoke, while a struggling hanyou flings fading curses into the silence.

**OoooOoooO**

"Why is it always dark?"

Sango slowly stands, glancing around the space, waiting for her eyes to adjust. The faint sounds of steady breathing can be heard coming from a few feet away, from the two demons who were still asleep on the 'floor.' The slayer finds it to be a surprisingly comforting sound in the midst of everything else that's been going on.

"It...it can't be..."

"What?" Miroku asks, turning to look in the direction the miko's voice had come from. He sees the moon-lit silhouette of the girl as she stands, in front of what looks to be a window with something clear in it--probably glass--and something soft hanging on either side, blowing slightly in a breeze from the open window.

"We're...we're in my...bedroom. In my time. "

"What?" the monk and the slayer ask together, each certain that the other's eyes have bulged slightly. The pair looks around, taking in strangeness of their srroundings.

It was true. The tajiya and hoshin were getting their first--and probably only--glimpse of what the future looked like, via the miko's bedroom. A pair of wooden doors stands behind them, Kagome's 'closet,' she'd once told them; a desk to the side, on which sat many small, strange items, and an odd looking 'box'; pictures on the walls; a rug beneath their feet; a bed raised off the floor, which was currently occupied...

"Oh...my..."

"Don't you dare say _anything_, monk."

Miroku, however, can only stare at the scene in front of him with something between pride and shock on his face. He moves around the slayer, coming within a foot of the bed before a forceful grip on one of his ears makes the boy fall back.

"Ow! Ow! Sango!"

"Just what do you think you're doing?" the slayer asks, quite obvious anger showing on her face.

"Er...getting ideas?"

Miroku flinches as Sango balls her other hand up to sock him, but a soft hand on her shoulder makes the girl stop, mid-punch.

"He's not..._sleeping_...with me. He...we're...just..._playing._"

The monk and slayer turn to the extremely embarrassed miko, exchanging a frown at the almost sorrowful expression behind her eyes before they look over at the very naked hanyou-Inuyasha and faux-Kagome lying on the bed, now whispering softly to one another between..._activities_.

"But...we can _see_ you, Kagome," the tajiya says, referring to the exposed torso of the second miko, and the very visible...everything else of the half-demon, while he sits astride her hips. Sango glances again to the bed, then quickly draws her gaze back to the priestess, her cheeks stained red. She pulls on Miroku's ponytail, earning another 'Ow!' from the monk before he turns back to the girls, failing to hide a smirk.

"I...know," Kagome says, her voice catching. "But there's nothing to be done about it. This is Inuyasha's illusion."

The girl stops here, not seeing the puzzled glances she gets from the pair, stepping over the demons on the floor, thankful that they're asleep. Kagome walks up to the bed, staring at the occupants with an almost detached air, a hint of a frown crossing her face as she watches the pair.

_Something...is off here..._

"They make a cute couple, don't they?"

The miko blinks, turning to the demon crouched on her windowsill, resembling the way Inuyasha would sit when he came to visit her. She doesn't respond, but only sneers slightly at Shinku before turning back to the hanyou and her..._self_, ignoring the youkai's light giggling.

"Didn't I ask you to watch where you put those?"

"Sorry. Thought you might like them there."

Faux-Kagome rolls her eyes as Inuyasha grins, the tips of his fangs peeking between his lips. He flexes his fingers, gently stroking the undersides of the girl's breasts, being extremely careful of his claws.

"They're _sore_, Inuyasha. You can't be rough with them like you normally are."

This comment earns a strangled cough from the monk and a gasp from the slayer, which is followed closely by a dense _thump_ and another 'Ow!' Kagome doesn't move, but only tilts her head, still trying to figure out what was wrong with the situation.

"I know that," the hanyou says, a small scowl marring his shadowed features for a moment before he grins again. "I just thought I'd try to take your mind off that for a little while."

The real Kagome feels her eyes widening as a grinning half-demon lowers his head, taking the girl's right breast into his mouth and suckling gently on the hardened peak, then pressing slow, sensuous, open-mouthed kisses down the outside, around the base, before heading over to do the same to it's twin. Quiet scuffling can be heard coming from behind the girl, along with snickering to her left, but the miko just ignores everyone else and concentrates on the boy in front of her, the beginnings of tears coming to her eyes at the gentleness being displayed by the hanyou, oblivious to the fact that he's being watched. Kagome's few minutes of happiness are interrupted, however, by a soft moan from her counterpart.

"Mmmm...Inuyasha..."

More coughing from the monk follows this..._noise_, and Kagome suddenly finds herself snapped out of her daze.

"Is this...this is Inuyasha's deepest desire?" she asks, confused, turning to the still very embarrassed Sango and the extremely thrilled monk, even though he's already starting to bruise.

"He desires to be with you, Kagome," Miroku says, offering the girl a genuine smile through his lecherous grin. The monk then glances past her to the canoodling couple, his smirk faltering slightly. "Although..."

"What?" Kagome asks, wondering if the monk had seen something to explain her slight unease. What _was_ it that was bothering her, other than the obvious?

"If Inuyasha simply wanted to be with you, Kagome, why are we seeing this particular...er, _interraction_, instead of another?" the boy asks, losing his smile for the first time in five minutes.

"That, my dear monk, is the question."

The trio turns to look at the forest-youkai, who is now leaning against the window frame, watching the occupants of the bed, his hands behind his back. He switches his gaze, offering the three a small, innocent grin, nodding at the naked pair.

"You are correct, of course. Any ideas as to the boy's real desire?"

Kagome, Sango, and Miroku slowly draw their eyes from the demon, staring at each other for several moments, bewildered. A soft gasp from the tajiya has them looking back to the bed, as Inuyasha begins pressing kisses down the fake-Kagome's stomach and abdomen, stopping just above the dark area between her legs and turning his head, laying his cheek to her skin, his eyes closed and a soft smile on his lips.

The real miko feels a chill run down her spine, at the same time that a pit of warmth settles in her heart, and the girl suddenly knows what the half-demon truely wants.

"Kagome?"

The girl looks up, frowning at Sango and Miroku, who are hovering over her. She looks at the monk's hands, which had barely caught her before she'd dropped to the floor.

"Kagome?" he asks, worry having now replaced the insinuation on his face. "Do you know...?"

"I'm...I'm..."

The girls stops, waving one hand in the vague direction of her double and Inuyasha, her voice caught in her throat at the realization. Sango kneels beside her, resting one hand briefly on the miko's forehead and cheek, before she looks at the couple. The slayer frowns, turning back to Kagome before doing a double-take, her face slackening into shock.

"She...he...they're...he..."

Sango also breaks off, shaking her head as if she can't quite believe it. She turns back to Kagome, staring in astonishment before raising wide eyes to the monk, who now seems to be getting annoyed that he's being left out.

"What...?"

Before the boy can get any further, however, Inuyasha speaks.

"I can hear it. The heartbeat. It's strong."

Miroku's question slowly turns into a gape as he realizes what the hanyou just said, his dark eyes goggling slightly.

"Did he...just say...?"

"Yes. What the half-demon desires the most is a..."

"..._child_..."

Kagome feels a hard prickling sensation behind her eyes after she speaks, glancing over to the green-haired demon now sitting on the windowsill itself. Shinku holds the girl's gaze, not moving while the tears start to fall down her cheeks, the faintest hint of a frown coming to his lips as he gazes at her. The soft rumble of the hanyou's voice breaks their concentration.

"I never thought...anyone would...with me... And then I found you, Kagome... and now...," the boy rambles, finally looking at the face of the girl lying below him, a partially troubled expression on his own. The other Kagome smiles.

"I know. We've already had this discussion, _ren'ai_," she says softly, not hearing the loud gasp from her real counterpart as she smiles widely.

"But..."

"No 'buts,' Inuyasha. You know I lo..."

The rest of the fake-miko's sentence is lost as Shinku sighs theatrically, standing up and stretching his arms over his head.

"Are we ready for the next stage?" he asks, grinning at the still shell-shocked trio and snapping the first two fingers of one hand before any of them can respond.

"Again with the darkness..."

Sango rolls her eyes, though neither of the other two can see her. She glances quickly at the two demons still sleeping soundly behind her, before she and Miroku slowly help Kagome to her feet, squinting at the space, trying to see...well, anything.

"Isn't that the Bone-Eater's Well?" Miroku says after a moment, pointing somewhere behind them. Kagome gasps, then shakes her head disbelievingly.

"We're still in my time. We're inside the well-house on my side," she says, looking around at the vacant building and frowning. "Inuyasha isn't even here. Why...?"

The girl's question is answered by a bluish-colored light suddenly filling the space, so blindingly bright that the three have to cover their eyes. When they drop their arms, a very distressed-looking hanyou is looking up at them from the bottom of the stairs.

"He can't see you, of course," Shinku says, settling himself on the railing and crossing his arms as the half-demon begins to make his way up the stairs. Very, very slowly makes his way up the stairs, his fingers shaking under his sleeves, his expression almost tormented, his face pale.

"What's wrong with him?" Sango ventures, keeping her voice low, even though Inuyasha can't hear her. Miroku and Kagome shake their heads, watching the boy intensely as he comes level with them just inside the door, and they have to move slightly out of the way. Only now do they hear the voices coming from outside the wellhouse.

"Come on, mom!"

"Sis! No fair!"

"You young whipper-snappers! When I was your age...!"

"Mommy!"

"Kagome! That's cheating!"

The last two voices freeze the blood of everyone inside the hut, especially the boy clad in red. Inuyasha tenses from head-to-toe, his golden eyes widening until there's hardly any iris left to be seen. His breathing--now coming in gasps--takes several minutes to control until it resembles something normal.

"No...no..."

Kagome makes a half-hearted attempt to reach out to the boy as he moves forward, stopping her hand when it's inches away from his sleeve.

"Don't...don't..._look_...," she pleads, feeling the tears coming again when the hanyou steps up to the doors, placing one hand on each side and taking a deep breath before he pushes them apart, just enough to see outside. He ignores the slight spark that arcs between his hands.

Before they can wonder on that, the three humans find themselves blinded again, when they suddenly appear outside the wellhouse, staring at the half-demon though the barely-open doorway.

"It's...winter...?" Sango whispers, blinking to adjust to the whiteness of the snow on the ground, the trees, the buildings, the flakes still falling from the sky.

Miroku just shakes his head as he looks around, taking in the grounds of the Shrine where their miko lived. He takes a strangled breath, then slowly raises one hand, pointing across the yard to the space in front of the Goshinboku. A sobbing gasp sounds from the priestess beside them, but the hanyou still inside the hut makes no noise at all, and simply watches the scene before him.

Underneath the heavily-laden branches of the God-Tree, a grumpy-looking older man is watching from the side-lines, as what can only be descibed as a snow-ball fight unfolds before him. A slightly-older Kagome and her mother are laughing and yelling, throwing the compact balls from behind a small wall of the soft, white stuff, while their dark cloaks become lighter by the second, the flaky precipitation continuing to fall around them.

Several feet away, a teenage Sota and an older boy with dark hair and dancing, dark-brown eyes is returning the projectiles in full force, the man's face dripping from what could only have been a head-shot he'd just obviously taken. The foursome mostly ignores the small boy on Kagome's side, who is hurling his own, tiny globes less than a foot away, but is still giving his best effort.

"Mommy! I canned hit Daddy!" the boy suddenly pouts, and the cloaked-Kagome ducks an incoming missile, laughing as she quickly makes her way to the boy.

"Do you want me to throw it for you, sweetie? Or...?"

"No! I wanna hit Daddy myselv!"

The real Kagome feels the tears falling quickly now, as her double picks up the boy, giving him a kiss on the cheek, which is quickly rubbed off by the toddler, a disgusted look on his young face. The girl laughs, making her way to the man on her brother's 'side,' smiling at him as he pushes her hood back to give her a prolonged kiss. She breaks away when the little boy's snowball, which has now melted slightly from the warmth of his hand, makes a loud _slurping_ sound as it connects with his father's head.

"Don't you want to hit your mother?" the man asks, pouting as he wipes the slush out of his hair while his son shakes his head, a triumphant grin on his small features. No one in the group notices the silent presence only a few yards away.

"I...can't believe... It's like...like you've moved on. Like Inuyasha isn't even part of your life, anymore."

Sango wipes her eyes, leaving her hands over her mouth as the other Kagome and the boy quickly return to their 'side,' and the war ensues. She turns to Miroku, who violet eyes are deeply troubled, the strain of the illusion making his appearance seem to age even more.

"It would seem so," the monk whispers, turning shadowed eyes to the miko beside them, but frowning when he sees her expression. "Kagome?"

The miko is not facing either her friends or the illusion, but has her gaze trained on the doors behind them, her eyes wide and frightened. The monk and slayer turn to the hanyou, dimly aware of the forest-demon close behind them.

The first thing they see is Inuyasha--who has yet to make a sound. The boy is still just staring at the scene, what is quite obviously blatant fear showing on his face. The boy's skin is almost the same shade as Miroku's--a lifeless gray--and his hands are shaking so badly that rattling can be heard coming from the doors he was holding, his claws halfway into the wood, another arc of light passing between them. Stress and pain can be seen in the boy's still iris-less eyes, the pupils starting to cloud over with the first signs of tears and...something else. Inuyasha looks as if he's aged several decades already.

The second thing the trio sees is the pair of sutras.

"Oh my...,"

Sango can't even finish her quiet oath as the three of them realize what the small arc of white light had been, and that the slayer's earlier statement had been true. Kagome had told her friends about her grandfather's poor attempt to purify Inuyasha, therefore, these two couldn't have been placed by him. That only left one person with the power to seal the well-house.

"I couldn't... I wouldn't...," Kagome mumbles, turning to her double and just seeing the heated glare that's being aimed in their direction. The young mother holds her gaze for a few seconds--making sure that her target knew she was looking at him--before turning back to her game and throwing her snowball across the yard. The real miko doesn't stifle her cry of pain.

Miroku stifles a shudder as he looks from the distant priestess back to the half-demon, moving to stand in front his friend to get a better look at his strange--almost detached, now--expression. The monk finds that his subject has now disappeared from the doorway.

The trio finds themselves back inside the small building, the faint echo of laughter carrying from outside. Inuyasha pauses a moment, his back to the door and his friends, before stumbling forward, almost tripping over the last stair but catching himself on the edge of the Bone-Eater's Well and sinking to his knees.

"Something else is wrong," Miroku whispers, frowning as he tries to think, as several heart-wrenching sobs float up to the humans, making the women gasp--and the younger of the two begin to cry--before they find the blue-white light blinding them again, and the echo of a very quiet, very terrible, whispered epithet reaches their ears.

"_Good-bye_."

* * *

I mean, _epithet_ in the terms of being a derogatory word, as in a last, final utterance, since Inu is known for his...choice language. If you don't get it, that's ok, because I'm not sure I do either. Have I mentioned it's almost three in the morning? :) Did we catch everything else, though? Hrmmm?? ;)


	21. Return and Loss

Well, here's the next chap. I know it's taken me forever guys, but all I can say is that life happens, and I promise to try to do better. Um...I think that's all. Not a lot of notes for this chap, other than it's fairly sad. :( Ok, well...enjoy!

* * *

It takes Kagome a few seconds longer to realize that she and her friends are back in the white room, as she'd had her eyes closed and her head buried in her hands while she sobbed. The monk and slayer are standing slightly behind the young miko, standing very close together but remaining silent, except for the occasional sniffle from the latter. The two small demons are still sleeping peacefully a few feet away. Their captor is nowhere to be found.

The girl lifts her head and sees her half-demon companion, on all-fours on the bright padding, his dark hair draped forward to hide his human features. She prays that she's imagining the soft _ploops_ that sound against the floor, but gets her proof when she takes a single step, the barely whispered word stopping her where she stands.

"_Don't_."

Kagome bites her lip at the pain she can hear in Inuyasha's voice, crossing her arms over her chest and looking away so that she doesn't go against him. She hears the pair behind her make shuffling sounds as they shift uncomfortably in place, but she doesn't turn, not wishing them to see the despair that was written across her face, though they already knew it was there.

Eventually Inuyasha stands, and the trio watches him in silence as he walks to the nearest wall--keeping his face hidden--sliding down it and burying his head against his knees, his arms wrapped around them. He doesn't make any sound, even when his shoulders start to shake from the force of his attempted control. Even Shinku's sudden appearance doesn't seem to get through to him.

"Slayer?" the demon says, giving one last glance to Inuyasha's back before turning toward Sango.

The exterminator stares at the out-stretched palm, raising her red-rimmed eyes to the youkai before stepping toward him.

"Sango?"

The girl turns back to the dark-haired monk, the determined set of her chin faltering at the obvious anxiety on his face.

"It will happen whether I wish it to or not, Miroku," she says, stepping back over to him and placing a small kiss against his cheek. The priest tightens his hold on her arms when she pulls away. "Better to brave the darkness than succumb to it."

Miroku opens his mouth--as if he's about to argue the absurdity of the statement--but Sango has already twisted out of his grasp and placed her hand into Shinku's.

"A wise philosophy, tajiya," the demon says, give the girl a brief bow before the two of them vanish, leaving only silence in their absence.

**OoooOoooO**

"I don't know how much more of this I can take."

Kagome tears her eyes away from the hanyou who is now sitting in the middle of what looks like a street--though he doesn't seem to notice in the slightest--sliding her gaze over to the monk beside her. Miroku brings his hands up and rubs his fingers over his temples, closing his eyes and murmuring soft prayers under his breath. He starts when Kagome slides one of her arms through his.

"You could feign sleep," she says, her voice low, as if she's afraid to make the suggestion. "Shinku doesn't seem to think Shippo and Kilala are necessary, anymore."

Miroku glances around, noting the conspicuous absence of the pair, though they had been in the white room only moments before. He takes another second or two to eye their surroundings, at once recognizing the former demon slayer village, though they'd never seen it with actual occupants.

"Tempting, Kagome. But Sango will need me when this is....over," he says, his voice catching at the last word, when the slayer and her brother round a distant building and come into view. The monk turns in the other direction and gives the withdrawn hanyou a sorrowful glance before focusing his attention back on the miko. "As Inuyasha will undoubtedly realize, when you have need of him."

The girl swallows the sudden lump in her throat, glancing over her shoulder at the boy, who still hasn't moved, though he has to be aware of the bustle of the village around him. Kagome brings her free hand up and wipes away the tears sliding down her cheeks, giving the priest a grateful, if somewhat shaky, smile as he pulls her into a hug.

"I hope so, but...he...he thinks.... He's afraid that I...."

The girl can't finish her sentence, and buries her face against the monk's kimono as Miroku tightens his arms around her. The pair holds the comforting embrace for several moments, all traces of the teasing during the previous visions gone, until Sango and Kohaku pass by. They stare as the older yells loudly at the younger, causing several villagers heads to turn.

"Kohaku! Mother told me to teach you how to cut the bread correctly! How am I supposed to do that when you steal it!"

"Exactly!" the boy yells, waving the offensive loaf over his head as he turns and begins running backward across the compound. "I don't wanna be some sissy tajiya who does women's work!"

Sango stops abruptly, crossing her arms over her chest and scowling at her younger sibling, before a sly grin breaks out across her pink-cheeked face.

"Want to say that again, dear brother?" she asks, giving the boy her best 'I-dare-you' glare.

Kohaku stops his skipping, twirling the bread on two fingers before speaking again, completely missing the cooling of the sun-warmed air at his back.

"Of course, ane. Cooking is a woman's job; I'm not....."

"A _woman's _job?"

The younger slayer visibly gulps at the disapproving tone that floats over his head, turning slowly and just stopping himself from cringing when he sees his father giving him stern look.

"This is gonna be interesting."

Kagome and Miroku tear their gazes away from what was probably going to be a painful lesson for Sango's brother, blinking in exhausted annoyance at the demon standing next to Inuyasha, seemingly debating on whether he can get away with whatever he's thinking of doing, with his body remaining intact. Shinku apparently decides against it a few seconds later, and walks the dozen or so feet over to the hoshin and the miko.

"The exterminators were very forward thinking for their time; the girl would be quite a prize among them, now. You are lucky that her village fell, monk, considering how many of her own males would have competed for her hand. You wouldn't have stood a chance."

Kagome gapes in quiet shock at the insult, as Miroku twitches beside her, just keeping himself from attacking the demon. The girl hadn't known that Shinku was capable of such blatant disrespect, even though his actions until now had been less than exemplary.

"Your opinon, only, demon," the boy snaps, clenching his fists by his side and glaring in hatred at the green-haired youkai, his lips pulled back in a snarl. "I know Sango better than you think."

Shinku raises one brow before grinning, a sparkle showing behind his gray eyes. "Good to know you're not easily discouraged, hoshin," he says, gesturing behind him, where Kohaku is being held up by the front of his kimono by his father, the loaf of bread now safely esconced in his sister's arms.

"I don't care if you _were_ joking, son," the older man says, frowning at his youngest. "You've seen that our society only functions properly when our two sexes work _together_. What would the other villagers say if they heard you speaking so insolently?"

Kohaku's cheeks flame a quick cherry color, and he nods his head shallowly, contrite. "Sorry, father. I didn't mean to be disrespectful. I just wish ane... I wish things would still be the same."

"It's not like I'm leaving you, Kohaku," Sango says, stepping forward and ruffling her brother's bangs in a warming gesture, lifting the sad frown from his freckled face. "I'm just getting married."

Kagome hears a quick intake of breath and turns, feeling dread rise in her chest at the fear creeping into Miroku's violet eyes. She tightens her arm on the boy's, grabbing that hand with her own and squeezing his fingers. The monk glances down at the girl for a moment before closing his eyes tightly and murmuring more prayers, his lips moving so fast they're almost a blur.

"Not so confident now, eh?" the demon asks, giving the pair a wink, not in the least bit deterred by their changing expressions. He gazes at their open hostility with faint amusement before giggling, then quickly gives them a somber frown. "But you really should learn to trust your future wife more often. _Honestly_."

Kagome and Miroku don't bother to stifle their identical sneers as the demon rolls his eyes, scoffing quietly. Neither of the two notice that their silent third is now listening, albeit unobtrusively, or that their captor's words were not aimed exclusively in their direction.

"When will he be here, ane?" Kohaku asks, distracting his audience as he gives his father a sideways glance, to see if he might still be in trouble. The elder slayer chuckles under his breath before drawing the boy into a rough hug, ignoring Kohaku's protests.

"This is your warning, young'un. Next time _I_ get the hair," the sibling's father says, cracking the knuckles of his large hands as he releases the boy, before feigning an attempt to grab his son again. Kohaku retreats behind his sister, covering his head.

"No, father! I won't be so disrespectful to ane again! I promise!"

Kagome covers the smile forming on her lips as Kohaku and the older tajiya circle a laughing Sango, sliding her gaze up to Miroku's, a small measure of relief flowing over her at the poor attempt he was making to keep his expression grim. It quickly returns when their slayer speaks.

"He'll be back the day after tomorrow. He had some things to attend to in a nearby village," Sango says, her pleased expression morphing into a slight glare before it quickly returns to normal, though the change was barely noticeable. Then she says, in a conspiratorial whisper, "I'm not supposed to know, but apparently there's a gift to the bride involved."

The girl's father and brother echo Sango's excited smile before the eldest decides that he shouldn't be encouraging his children to ruin surprises. "Now, Sango. You've worked hard on keeping your gifts a secret; is it fair to spoil your fiancé's, three days before the wedding?"

Sango faux-pouts, glancing at her brother, who immediately backs up his big sister by saying, with a completely straight face, "I heard it was a type of weapon. Because _ane_ needs one of _those_ on her _wedding_ day."

The trio stares at each other for a few seconds before they each break into stifled laughter. Kagome thinks that her smile would have returned at the joke, if not for the completely heartbroken expression on Miroku's ashen face. The miko is so attuned to her friend's deepening depression that she gasps out loud when a warm hand wraps around her arm.

The girl turns, and almost gasps again when she sees the still troubled, though somehow also slightly amused gaze of her human-hanyou. She feels the beginnings of tears come to her eyes at the fact that Inuyasha was no longer drawing into himself, but her happiness quickly turns to confusion as he nods his head to something behind them.

The miko turns, and what she sees makes her eyes brim over and start spilling down her cheeks before she can pull on Miroku's arm hard enough to get his attention.

"Please, Kagome. Sango has chosen..."

The monk's dispassionate words are cut off abruptly as he gazes at who his friends are gesturing toward, which is confirmed a few seconds later by the small group of slayers.

"Where is your fiancé's vassal, anyway, daughter? I wanted to know what the raccoon-dog thought of my plans for your lodgings....," the eldest tajiya says, glancing around the open compound, his gaze immediately alighting on the demon in the distance. His expression quickly drops into a frown.

"Hachi had better not be eating the _katsuobushi_!" Sango suddenly yells, loudly enough for the short youkai to hear, even over his own munching. "I am going to seriously hurt _someone_ when I get ahold of him!" the girl snaps, glancing between her brother and the bread before taking the latter with her and waving it threateningly at the tanuki, who is now retreating from the drying house.

The shellshocked observers gaze in slight astonishment as Sango runs, waving people out of her way with the loaf, while words than one wouldn't exactly classify as compliments flow from her lips in a soft, but steady stream. The girl's younger brother brings their attention back with his next comment.

"I love ane, but that doesn't mean I don't think Miroku's not going to have his hands full," Kohaku says, giving his father a sideways, mischievous glance. He breaks into a wide grin when the man nods.

"You have no idea," the elder says, solemnly, as an older woman who looks almost identical to Sango--though with her dark hair pulled back in a low, messy bun, and wearing clothes colored bright yellow and dark blue--comes running across the grounds to join her daughter in the chase, wielding a large wooden spoon in one hand. Neither of the girls notice the dozens of eyes watching them in amusement.

The two males watch the entertainment for several more minutes, until deciding that it wouldn't look good for the bride to kill her groom's vassal and long-time friend only days before the wedding, and head over to help the roughened demon out of his predicament. It's only after the quiet bustle returns to the village that Miroku releases the breath he'd been holding, bending forward slightly so that he doesn't faint.

"I told you to have more faith," Shinku says, giving the monk an innocent grin when he glances up.

"Go to hell."

Kagome blinks in shock at the vehement words that had come from the hoshin, slowly backing away from the increasing anger on Miroku's face and latching onto Inuyasha when she bumps into his side. She glances at him, wondering if he knows what's going on, her confusion increasing as something that resembles his normal smirk begins to form, despite the dullness in his eyes. Her scrutiny of his appearance is short-lived, however, as their priest begins ranting in an almost hysterical tenor.

"You arrogant, egotistical, maniacal, deceitful, bastard son of bitch! Where the hell do you get off treating _anyone_ like your means to an end?! We aren't like your precious green- and brown-skinned 'lovelies'! You can't treat humans' and demons' emotions as if they're easily broken, easily fixed; don't you see?!"

Miroku takes a deep breath, swipes at the dampness on his cheeks, then begins speaking again, oblivious to his companion's presence. Shinku doesn't respond to the accusations, but simply stares at the frenzied, furious monk, blinking his smoky eyes every few seconds in what could almost be described as indifference.

"What was the point of this vision, anyway?! If Sango's greatest desire was to marry me, why didn't we see the ceremony? Or the reception afterwards? Her village was obviously making plans for it; her brother and father were....."

The boy stops again, but this time his jaw goes slack, his eyes widening as they glance around the village again, taking in the activity that had been relegated to simple background noise. It takes him several moments, but Miroku finally mumbles to himself, his anger deflating as he understands the slayer's deeepest wish.

"Her...family?" Miroku asks, though he already knows it's the truth.

Shinku doesn't respond, other than a shallow nod, giving the quiet hanyou and miko a questioning look to see whether they had understood the vision as well. He offers the pair a smirk when they refuse to meet his eyes, keeping their own on their silent, moroseful friend.

"I should have realized...before now...," Miroku says to himself, sinking onto his knees and putting his head in his hands. "But I was so..._worried_..."

Kagome and Inuyasha watch in uncomfortable silence, allowing Miroku to mourn and despise his own selfishness for several minutes, before the hanyou decides that he's had enough, and speaks, though his voice sounds strangely weak and distant.

"You've made it this far," he says, but without his usual gruffness, or even a semblance of reprimand. He steps forward then, and puts his hands beneath Miroku's arms, hauling the other boy to his feet. The brunette turns with a sorrowful scowl, but stops when he sees the grief and pain in Inuyasha's dark eyes. "Don't give up now."

Kagome is sure that Miroku is going to say something about Inuyasha and his own illusions, based on the downward turn of his mouth, but the boys just stare at each other for a long minute before they each nod, exchanging some unknown understanding. Inuyasha keeps one hand on the hoshin's upper arm, however, preparing to brace him for whatever may happen next.

"I see that we're ready," Shinku says, almost softly, giving the other males a sly grin when they turn hateful eyes his way, though neither offers a comment. He bites back a laugh. "In that case, let us see your tajiya's greatest fear...."

The forest demon snaps his fingers, instantly plunging the group into darkness. Kagome sucks in a breath, and hears the boys do the same, disoriented by the sudden change. She instinctively reaches for Inuyasha, waving one arm for several seconds in a futile attempt to grasp something familiar, before the hanyou's hand passes beneath, then manages to find her own. A wave of relief flows through the girl as he drags her to his side, wrapping his arm around her waist as their eyes begin to adjust to the pre-dawn light coming from the window behind them.

"Where are we?" the girl asks, tentatively, raising her head to examine their surroundings when her heart slows its irrational, rapid beat. She feels Inuyasha shrug, before his deep voice echoes a few inches above her.

"Looks like a storage shed," he says, flatly, eyeing the strange mounds that surround them. After a few moments he wrinkles his nose, inhaling the musty smell of ripened potatoes and turnips and onions, momentarily glad that he doesn't have his demonic powers.

"What are we doing in here?" Kagome asks, confused, as she stares at the vegetables.

"For her."

The girl turns her head the other way, watching Miroku's form as he moves forward and around several boxes, his dull eyes focused on something against the far wall. Kagome glances up, and only after she sees the shadow of her friend does the faint weeping reach her ears.

"What's wrong?" she whispers, afraid to hear, though she knows she will.

Miroku turns back to the pair, ignoring the demon perched in a high stack of rice bags, who is silently questioning him with a single raised brow, and shakes his head. "She's just...crying. I don't know why."

Kagome feels her heart go out to the boy, at the obvious distress in his tone, but she doesn't know why the slayer would be here, any more than he does. Why would Sango be crying, alone, and possibly hiding, in a storage shed?

The trio gets their answer a moment later, when the door to the building opens, flooding the small room with pale morning light, the outline of a figure falling onto several baskets containing cabbage.

"Sango?"

The only sounds that are heard in the small building are a soft, barely discernable sniffling, and the rustling of a shawl being drawn tighter around someone's cold form.

"Me, I hope?" Miroku asks, not moving from the slayer's side as the figure quietly closes the door behind him. It was hard to tell if the raspy, deepened, pained voice was actually the monk's.

"I know you're in here, Sango. You know you can't hide from me."

"Yes," Kagome whispers, her voice barely carrying above the increase in sniffling. She and Inuyasha watch the older hoshin as he passes, slowly, his visage aged by several years of stress and misery. "But there's something terribly wrong."

Miroku doesn't respond, waiting apprehensively until the last moment to move from his place beside the girl, when the other _him_ finally makes his way around all the bags and barrels and gazes down at the female tajiya, grief showing plainly in his deep violet eyes.

No one in the room speaks, and for several tense minutes, the trio of listeners hold their respective breaths, waiting with an ever-increasing sense of dread as the silence lengthens. When the older Miroku finally speaks, his voice is only a dull echo of what it once was.

"We can try again, love. Wait a few months, then....."

The monk tapers off, his voice breaking as a despairing cry is ripped from Sango's lips, her sniffles morphing into sobbing cries. The boy drops onto a bundle of wheat, putting his head in his hands as the slayer mumbles incoherently.

"No! No.... not....not..... too many.... lost....no....no.... can't....I.....can't..."

The girl continues in the same tone for several seconds, confusing her audience--but not her husband--with her ramblings, until she finally seems to come to a decision and turns to Miroku. She grabs his arms and shakes him slightly, her dark eyes wild and frantic and pleading as he looks up, his expression holding the faintest bit of hope, which immediately falters. The others can now see the sallow tint of her cheeks, and the thinness of her frame underneath her baggy kimono.

"No, Miroku! No more! We can't..._ I_ can't do this anymore! We've tried...and tried.... Kami knows we've tried, but....it's not.... I can't... have _hope_.... And then find out we're _not_..... Or lose another... I've lost too many...already.... I can't.... I can't lose another child!"

Kagome feels her eyes widen and her heart drop painfully into her stomach as her friend's words and fear register in her mind. The miko only just keeps herself from bursting into tears, burying her face against Inuyasha's side and sobbing into his kimono. The hanyou himself can do nothing but stare in horrified disbelief, his dark eyes wide and pained, while the real Miroku finds himself on his hands and knees, shaking his head while hot tears stream down his cheeks, cursing the unjust Kami that would dare to assign _his_ slayer with this cruelest of fates.

The other, despairing hoshin--oblivious to the commotion going on behind him--swallows, audibly, before nodding and pulling the girl into his arms. He gently strokes the crying girl's hair, holding his emotions in check for several moments before he finally breaks, joining the despairing atmosphere inside the tiny hut.

* * *

*sigh* That was hard. And I still have Kagome's to do, which is my next goal. If you aren't crying right now, you....have some issues to work through. I shouldn't talk though, seeing as how I'm writing this angst fic. You know when you're starting to get tired and you stop making sense? Yeah...heading down that path right now.... Oh, btw, Katsuobushi is dried bonito (skipjack tuna) flakes, which are often given to guests at weddings, and are used in various dishes. *makes an 'eww' face* I'll pass, thanx...


	22. Deja Vu

Ok, a few things. I think I confused ya'll with Sango's fear in the last chap, so I added a chunk at the beginning of this to explain hers better, I hope. Also, this chap is going to be a little bit different from the previous, b/c: 1) you get to be inside the illusion, instead of just watching; 2) most everyone should know what Kagome's fear/desire is by now (even though I didn't repeat anything, and made it fairly sweet and interesting...hopefully); and 3) our little miko's illusion is going to be presented slightly different than the others, which you'll see why when you get to that point. Uh...a random plot-bunny planted a mini-tangent into my head, so I added that little blurb b/c....well, I could. It takes off by itself, but that's okay. It's mostly just me rambling on. :)

_

* * *

_

...it's just a fear...it won't really happen...it's just a...an...**illusion...**

__

Kagome holds onto this miniscule fact as she forces herself to take a deep breath, gaining a small amount of control over her sobbing. She presses her lips tightly together before raising her eyes to the bright white of Shinku's illusionary 'waiting room,' sucking in another breath as she sees Sango sitting on the floor--tears still rolling down her cheeks, her head bowed in hopelessness and misery--and Miroku kneeling in pain and doubt, distressed with what is now a viable, foreseeable fear.

The miko clenches her fingers more tightly onto Inuyasha's kimono, her hands shaking so much that the material is moving in little waves. The human-hanyou doesn't seem to notice, his face ghastly pale, his eyes grave but unfocused, though he was still staring at their slayer.

"I'm..._sorry_...."

Miroku's head snaps up so quickly that he would probably get whiplash if this wasn't all in their minds anyway, gaping in horrified disbelief at the girl who had made the self-loathing apology. He stares at Sango for a brief, speechless second before essentially bolting across the 5 feet that separated them, gathering the girl in his arms and speaking so forcefully that he's almost shouting.

"What do you have to be sorry about?! You did nothing, Sango! Nothing at all! That was a deception created by an crazed demon bent on crushing our spirits and destroying what life we might have afterwards. But it means absolutely _nothing_ in regards to our....potential," the monk says, pushing Sango away so that he can stare into her pleading gaze. "It's a fear; nothing more," he says, shaking the girl as if by willpower alone he can make her un-believe the lies she'd just lived through.

Sango closes her eyes after the boy stops, her bottom lip trembling as she tries to convince herself of Miroku's words. She shakes her head after a moment, more tears sliding down her face and joining the ones who had left small, grey stains on her kimono.

"But...we don't know. What if... What if we... _I_ ...can't...?"

The slayer stops herself, shaking her head again--more forcefully this time--before putting her face in her hand, mumbling what sounds like '_lost children_' against her fingers. Miroku pulls the girl back into his arms, whispering feverishly in her ear, his expression anxious.

"We'll figure it out, love. If we..._can't... __**If**_ that is the case... There are many orphaned children during these years; so many who need families. We can even adopt more kitsune's, if you like," the boy says, waving one hand in the sleeping-Shippo's direction, the very faintest hint of a smile pulling at his lips, though the skin around his violet eyes remains strained.

Sango doesn't glance up at her fiancé's words, at first, but after a few minutes she moves her arms to hug the boy around the waist, her deep, sporatic breathing now somewhat level.

"But..."

"No. No 'buts.' We see what the future holds for us, and then deal with any....complications. Together. You _will_ be my wife and the mother of my children, regardless of whether I am actually their father, or you their mother, or even if they are not human," Miroku says, again glancing to the sleeping fox-demon. "It will be you and no other, Sango. You who are _my_ future, biological child or no."

Kagome finds herself suddenly wishing that she could hide from this very private moment between her two friends, but there was nowhere to go. Instead, she keeps her gaze on the closest side of Inuyasha's face, where it had automatically moved when Miroku first began his reassurances, and focuses on not listening to the whisperings less than a dozen feet away.

Inuyasha seems to have reached this conclusion several minutes before the miko, as his eyes are currently closed, his severely disturbed expression facing the floor, his breathing so unobtrusive that it's almost non-existent. Kagome watches him for several quiet, tense moments before risking a small tug on his arm, almost fearfully afraid of what she would see when he faced her. She could already tell that there was something seriously wrong with her hanyou.

The half-demon glances up, minutely, opening his now espresso-colored eyes to look at the girl beside him. Kagome feels a sense of panic quickly coming over her at the depth of suffering in those dark orbs--one that could almost pass for a deeper pain than what was currently emanating from their slayer.

_But... why would Inuyasha be ...? _

The girl frowns to herself, wondering why the boy's expression suddenly looks so familiar. It wasn't his facial features themselves that were causing the confusion, but the way that they seemed to echo...

Kagome breaks off her thought with a silent gasp, shifting her gaze to the monk kneeling on the floor. She takes in his drawn appearance--his faded, tormented eyes, the grim set of his lips, the aged lines on his face and the silver wisps in his hair--feeling the beginnings of dread settle in her stomach as she looks back to the half-demon.

With the exception of eye color, Inuyasha looks almost exactly the same, though he hadn't been through nearly the same levels of happiness and depression that the hoshin had. And though he had already had his illusions, and now clearly felt extreme sorrow for his friends, there shouldn't have been any way that the hanyou's soul would be _this_ fragile_. _Something else was going on with the boy; something that was even more deeply disturbing than what they'd just witnessed.

The girl doesn't get a chance to voice her concern or respond to what she sees, as Inuyasha cuts off her question by pulling the miko tight to his chest and burying his face against her hair. Kagome remains fearfully silent as the boy's body shudders against hers, the pit in her stomach widening when she hears the faint sound of a strangled sob come from the hanyou.

"_No...,_" he whispers, remonstrating the miko again, before she can speak. "_You can't... __**No**__._"

Kagome shivers, confused and afraid of the half-demon's deathly serious tone. Inuyasha was very obviously keeping something from her; something significant that she should know, that she _needed_ to know. But what could it be, and why wouldn't he tell her? The miko hadn't seen anything in Sango's vision....

The girl shivers again, instantly, stifling a cry as she tightens her arms around the half-demon, as she registers the _why_. Everyone had had their illusions; everyone but _her_. If she was right, Inuyasha was keeping something from her that would make hers _worse_. But was that even possible?

"Well, my dear miko, are you ready to begin?"

Kagome closes her eyes tightly against the interruption from their captor, willing herself to remain calm, clenching Inuyasha's kimono tightly between her shaking hands. An incensed growl reverberates through her frame as the boy turns in her arms, presumably to face the forest demon.

"Now, Inuyasha. You know it's only fair," Shinku says, giving the dark-haired human a smug grin, before his smirk suddenly falls flat.

The hanyou in front of him is just a fraction short of being enraged, his lips pulled back over his teeth, though he had no fangs to bare; his hands flexed as if he still had claws, and was about to strike. The youkai meets and holds the boy's dark eyes, narrowed in pure, venomous hatred, a flash of surprise and astonishment ripling across his own when the almost-black irises shimmer suddenly to gold, before returning back.

"You won't touch her."

Shinku lets his gaze travel down the half-demon's trembling form, taking in the prepared, protective stance he had taken in front of the girl, almost completely blocking her from his view. He quells an annoyed sigh, debating for a moment before disappearing, idly wondering if the boy would be fast enough.

He is.

The green-haired demon reappears on the other side of the pair, finding himself face-to-face with Inuyasha again, instead of behind Kagome, like he'd planned. He ignores the astonished gasps from the other pair still kneeling on the floor, frowning at the boy in front of him, who seems to have realized that he's done something unexpected.

"I said, 'You won't touch her,' " Inuyasha says again, lowering his voice to a definite canine-like growl. The boy's eyes glitter again, longer this time, and Shinku frowns before deciding that enough was enough.

"I don't actually have to touch her, you know," he says, grinning again, disappearing while Inuyasha was preoccupied with brief hesitation and doubt.

His ploy doesn't work, however, and the increasingly frustrated youkai finds himself again facing the hanyou, while his target stands safely behind the dark-haired wall, not seeming too bothered by the fact that she was essentially hiding.

"Don't you?" Miroku says, suddenly, softly, drawing the demon's interest but not his friend's. "Why don't you just start the illusion then?"

Shinku frowns again, glancing to the monk and the slayer, who seem both confused at the sudden irritation of their captor, and also the slightest bit amused at their friend's extremely protective nature. The demon takes a few seconds to compose himself, standing up straight and tall and setting his expression in one of utmost sincerity.

"I did not need to touch you, hoshin, to begin the illusions, but it makes the transition smoother and shorter for you," he says, smiling widely before he rolls his eyes. "And I also do not have to expend as much energy if I am already in contact with your mind."

"Ahh... the crux of the matter," Miroku mumbles, sneering at the demon as Sango speaks softly over him, though her voice is still shaky.

"But... aren't you already in contact with our minds?" she asks, turning from the boy beside her, tear streaks still showing themselves on her pale face.

Shinku sighs, physically deflating and most definitely annoyed. He sends a longing glance at the dark-haired girl behind the wall that was the hanyou, ignoring the growl floating toward him as he answers.

"Not..._technically_. I can read each of you for short periods while you are in _this_ illusion; this room. The only reason it exists is to give....well, a sense of _normalcy_ while I hold you. An anchor, if you will. I find that my subjects are more able to deal with the consequences if they have such a place," the demon offers, at the perplexed glances of his audience. "I can pull you from here for your own illsions, if I must, without touching, but there is a...gap, between this vision and your own, if I am not in direct contact with you here. Believe me, it's easier to just go along."

Shinku--having given what he thinks is more than enough details about his power--turns again to the standing pair behind him, eyeing the miko with twinkling eyes.

"Now, Inuyasha, if you would be so kind. It is time for the young miko's...."

"Didn't we already discuss this? I said, '_You aren't going to touch her_.' "

The forest demon visibly steps back at the vehement tone coming from the hanyou, who was still heatedly glaring, as if he's just waiting for the right moment before snapping the other's head off. Shinku offers the boy a pout, pursing his lips, his voice almost a whine.

"Did you not just hear me, Inuyasha? It will be better for her if...."

"NO!"

The green-haired youkai stops in quiet alarm as the hanyou cracks, his whole frame shaking with the force of his denial. Kagome makes a vague attempt to calm him, but Inuyasha turns his gaze on the girl, something in his eyes instantly silencing her.

"You...can't... You...just..._can't_ have her. Take me again. Take anything you want; make me live through _all_ my fears, just don't...."

Inuyasha continues to ramble softly into the quiet of the room, oblivious to the gaping stares he's receiving from everyone besides the girl at his back. The hanyou ends up shaking his head several moments later, finally turning pleading, desperate eyes on their captor.

"I can't..._lose_ her again. _Please_."

Shinku frowns at the pair in front of him, simultaneously finding his interest peak at the situation, and something inside his chest moving at the depth of devotion that the boy had for the girl he was shielding. He purses his lips again, debating, before his innate curiosity gets the better of him.

"I am sorry," he says, disappearing in a soft haze, only to reappear less than a second later, directly in front of the hanyou.

Inuyasha blinks in astonishment for several moments at the demon's close proximity, before it dawns on him that one of Shinku's hands was holding something at his waist. He looks down in horror, seeing Kagome's wrist caught in the other's grasp, just managing to turn his head and give the girl a panic-stricken glance before she vanishes into mist....

**OoooOoooO**

Kagome, for her part, knew it was inevitable. She had seen the way he had eyed each of her friends before their illusions, and knew that there was no way that he would let her go so easily. She supposed, later, that it might have been better had Inuyasha not helped her with her despair before they entered the Forest. Shinku could have easily been able to tell the difference between her mental stability now, and what it had been a few days ago. He might have even been inclined to let her go upon first meeting her, if she hadn't been feeling better. But as it was, the demon saw no reason to delay the living of her worst fear and greatest desire.

He didn't know that she would be _re-_living them....

**OoooOoooO**

Kagome opens her eyes, confused, for a moment, as to why she was seeing a lovely pair of heated golden eyes staring into her own, when only a moment ago they were a deep, espresso brown, still capable of expressing those emotions which Inuyasha so often refused to tell...

The girl shakes her head, slightly, feeling her confusion vanish as a smile comes onto her face. The boy was staring down at her, wearing a lopsided grin, his beads, and nothing else, adjusting his position before he begins rocking his hips slowly back into hers. Kagome utters a moan, raking her nails over his bare shoulders and upper arms, her excitement increasing as the boy shudders, softly whispering her name....

**OoooOoooO**

"Do you really think I'm that...easy?"

Kagome presses her lips tightly together at the boy's irritated and slightly mortified tone, refraining the urge to answer that particular question. It wasn't the appropriate time or place.

Instead, she fakes a sigh, pressing her face deeper against the hanyou's abs, wondering if he was sneaking Ramen when she and the others weren't looking, and if he'd been stealing her soap as well, as his divine, masculine scent was currently making her light-headed. Logging that fleeting image away for later, the girl frowns to herself, then waves off the sudden sense of deja vu and answers the boy's question.

"Of course not. You were just...._vulnerable_, for lack of a better word, and I knew I could....get to you, this way," she says, ignoring the boy's irritated huff and glancing up at his moody expression, her eyes softening. "It was the only way I could think of to help."

The boy continues to stare into the darkness of the room for almost another minute, his frown a cross between worried and angry, before finally sighing in defeat and pulling the girl up to his level, wrapping his arms around her, her back to his front.

"Well....you did," he says, brushing a soft series of kisses against her jaw, neck, and shoulder, before smirking. "Now let's work on 'helping' you."

**OoooOoooO**

"I'm turning into a prune."

"What's a prune?"

"It's....kind of like a raisin."

"What's a raisin?"

Kagome rolls her eyes, turning to the boy behind her, sticking her tongue out at the innocent expression he's wearing. He smirks, licking in his lips suggestively, then grinning at the blush that crosses her face. _Again._

"You seem to be doing a lot of that in the past hour or so," he says, conversationally, reaching for the girl and pulling her into his lap, leaving his hands on her hips and making little circles on her wet skin with his thumbs. Kagome tries to talk herself out of the heat that's rapidly spreading across her cheeks, but loses spectacularly.

"That's what happens when you say something out loud that you didn't mean to," she mumbles, pausing a moment before glancing up, her expression confused.

"What?" the boy asks, stopping his fingers as his brows draw into a frown.

"Nothing," Kagome says, shaking her head again before looking back at the hanyou, her cheeks pinking again when the boy grins widely at her, his golden eyes somehow looking both suggestive and sad at the same time.

Picking up a handful of bubbles, the boy slowly dabs the suds across Kagome's collarbone, watching with unveiled interest as they slide slowly down her chest, across her breasts, and down her smooth stomach, before they return to floating gently on the warm water.

"Hrmm.... I think that's a good idea," he says, giving the girl just a second to understand.

**OoooOoooO**

"Do you want a Band-Aid?"

Kagome gets a disgusted look before the boy snorts, loudly, as if he doubted the girl's sanity right then. He continues drying the plate, setting it on the counter before reaching for another, bumping his hip into the girl beside him and staying just a _little_ closer to her than a few seconds ago.

The miko grins at her shiny reflection on the clean surface, biting back the urge to giggle, but wondering how soon would be _too_ soon to make pancakes again...

**OoooOoooO**

"I miscounted."

"Huh?"

"There's sixteen of them, not fifteen."

Kagome snickers at the exasperated look on the hanyou's face, while he rolls his eyes at her amusement. After a moment he raises himself onto one elbow, grinning mischeviously.

"I'm not the only one who's 'special,' you know."

The girl stops her quiet laughter, glaring at the boy with narrowed eyes as he smirks at her through his bangs. She holds onto her question for a few seconds, half-afraid to voice it.

"And what, exactly, would you be talking about?" she finally asks, slowly, her expression promising something evil if the boy even hinted at anything potentially embarrassing. Or...threatening. He couldn't possibly know _that_, though. Could he?

The hanyou continues to smile wickedly, tracing the fingers of one hand across the girl's hip and down the outside of her thigh, before heading back in the other direction. It takes Kagome a few seconds more to realize that the boy was staring far too pointedly at her face.

Crap. He'd noticed.

"You can't tell anyone!" the girl suddenly blurts out, shouting, though she hadn't initially meant to. The boy raises his brows in astonishment, blinking, before his lips fall into a serious pout.

"I want to see them."

Kagome bites her lip automatically, nervous and afraid about willingly revealing something that only she, her mother, and her brother knew. Her Grandfather would pitch a fit if he learned about it, and it only took a week of never-ending stares at school before the girl decided to do something about them. In her time it wasn't so nearly frowned upon--just an oddity, really--but Inuyasha's era was an entirely different matter. She didn't even want to think about those possibilites.

Gazing at the hanyou's solemn, hoping, _trusting_ stare, though, the miko finds her resolve slipping, her lips drawing into a half-frown. "You can't tell anyone," the girl repeats, giving the boy a moment to swear to silence before she allows him in on the secret. Her conscience silently points out that he already _knew_; he just hadn't _seen_ yet. How ironic.

"I won't," the boy says, all traces of playfulness gone. Kagome would never show him if he decided to tease her now. Not that they were funny in the slightest. Just...unusual.

The girl sighs, closing her chocolate eyes for a moment before nodding, once...twice, then removing herself from the bed, disappearing into the hallway. The hanyou doesn't speak, watching the girl's naked form with a smirk as she leaves, before he lays his head back on the pillow. He raises his arm to block the mid-day sun filtering in through Kagome's hazy curtains, which also helps to veil his excitement as he tries pinpoint when, exactly, he had first realized.

Before he can even narrow down his options, though, Kagome returns, pausing at the end of the bed and keeping her eyes on the floor. The boy watches the miko's fidgeting posture for a few seconds before sitting up and sliding to the girl, pulling her closer with one hand around her hips, while the other reaches for her chin, forcing her to face him.

"Beautiful," the boy says, exhaling softly, a grin lighting his face as Kagome blushes from her hairline all the way to her collarbone, dropping her eyes from his again. The boy chuckles under his breath as he pulls the girl into his lap, an immediate frown forming on his lips as the miko glances around, seemingly confused.

"What?" he asks, coercing Kagome into looking at him again, holding her head in place this time.

"I....thought I heard someone gasp," she says, blushing again as the boy continues to gaze into her now deeply azure eyes. She had half-hoped he wouldn't stare, but that expectation was shot as soon as she saw his pleased expression. "But I guess it was just the wind or something."

The boy nods, a smile flitting around his lips as he continues to watch the miko, gently caressing her cheek with the backs of his fingers. Kagome holds his gaze for another minute before breaking it, mumbling under her breath.

"It's not like you haven't seen blue eyes before," she says, twirling a strand of the boy's silver hair between her fingers. "Koga has them."

The hanyou releases a soft growl, wrapping his arms around Kagome and placing a soft kiss to her shoulder before burying his nose against her warm skin. "He's a demon; that's different. I didn't even know that humans _could_ have them."

The miko releases a sigh, tilting her head to the side and leaning against the boy's. "Just don't tell anyone, okay? People in the Feudal Era already think I'm odd because of my uniform, and the fact that I'm a miko who hangs out with demons. I don't need to give them any reasons to...distrust me."

The boys gives a shallow nod, speaking into the angle between Kagome's shoulder and neck, raising goosebumps on her skin. "Promise. As long as you don't mention my fifteen freckles."

Kagome smiles, stifling a giggle. "Deal. And it's sixteen."

The boy growls.

**OoooOoooO**

_This __**cannot**__ be happening... Not again!_

Kagome snaps her head up, dread crossing her features as she stares at the hanyou in front of her, silent tears at the corners of his golden eyes, threatening to spill over onto his cheeks. The boy misconstures her movement as overwhelming anxiety, and tightens his hold, pulling her back into his embrace. Kagome allows it.

_What...? What?!_

The miko clenches fistfuls of the boy's red haori, trembling as her own tears slide down her cheeks, trying to understand how she knew--_knew-- _what was about to happen to her, and deathly afraid that she was going to be hurting much more than she was meant to_. _

Deciding that she was wasting her time worrying about either, Kagome concentrates on the boy, committing his feel and scent and touch to her memory. She takes minuscule comfort from his actions, choosing to believe that he was just as upset at Kaede's revelation as she, and would do anything in his power to stop this, if he could.

"I'm sorry, Inuyasha."

**OoooOoooO**

Kagome drops her bag, bracing one hand on the cool, wooden walls of the well as she sways on her feet. Her breathing is shallow and erratic, trying to keep up with the frantic staccato rhythm of her heart, but failing by slow increments. The girl can tell her vision is tunneling, her mind refusing to believe that she'd just lived through the same abominable situation _twice_, but instinctly knowing that it was true.

The miko closes her eyes, feeling the tears stream down her almost-numb cheeks as the gaping, pain-ridden hole in her chest swells, slowly swallowing the broken, tormented organ, though it keeps beating resolutely, refusing to give in to the darkness.

Kagome knows exactly when it loses the fight; the dull, lifeless feeling spreading through her torso and limbs, finally overcoming her mind. She almost smiles at the absurdity: relief that she was escaping the pain by losing consciousness.

Two things, however, manage to break through the girl's anguish: one that forces it's way in, the other a simple, fleeting sensation.

The first is the image of a purple crescent-moon and star, which echoes behind her eyes, causing a brief moment of confusion before clarity hits, and the miko thanks the nearest kami that she'd stopped Inuyasha from revealing it to her. She hadn't understood why, at the time, but was thankful, now, that she'd trusted her intuition.

The second is the weightlessness of falling.....

* * *

A hint: Listening to melancholy piano music is not helpful when writing an angst fic. :( Well, technically, it is, but now for your emotional state. Er...what all was I going to say? Oh, yes. Was this chap too confusing? The scenes are supposed to come inbetween ones in chaps 2-5, though, obviously, not between _every_ scene. *makes horrified face* I tried to give clues so that it was easy to follow, but I'm not sure it worked. What else? Oh, I am _positive_ that I read somewhere that light-colored eyes (blue, for example) are extremely, extremely rare in Asian countries, which is why Kags is wary about letting her friends know about them, though I'm sure they wouldn't think she was any stranger than they already do. (Another topic of discussion is that no one's sure what color her eyes really are, so I just thought I'd be a little silly about in this chap.) Anyway, I can't find my source, so I can't explain any more about that particular topic. Depending on where you were, though, you might be revered as one of the blessed; or you could be the complete opposite, and labeled as consorting with the devil. Anyways, so I know this chap took awhile to get out, but school is evil, and--unfortunately--it has to come before fics, as much as I wish otherwise. *pouts* On a more positive note: a fantabulous reader nominated this fic in the IYFG Fourth Quarter, Inu/Kag Romance category, which completely made my day. I won't mention who, in case they don't want to be embarrassed, but they should know that I was so delighted that I fell out my chair. :)


	23. Aftermath

*sigh* I know it's been awhile. Please don't kill me. This chap should at least make up for the long wait a bit. (Maybe a teeny, tiny bit.....but a bit nonetheless!) I really can't think of anything else to say here. *frowns....* Oh...er, nevermind; just remembered a few things. Uh...my nom for the IYFG was just that, but that's ok. There are some really good fics on there. I'm still happy that _Healing_ was nominated. :) What was the other thing? Hrmm...crap. Maybe I'll remember it by the end. *sighs* Dozo!

* * *

Kagome doesn't know that she hasn't hit the ground. She doesn't know that the white room has reappeared, and that a certain half-demon is cradling her in his arms, having caught her mid-fall. Or that each of her friends is now staring at the pair of them in horror-struck silence, Shippo and Kilala included, as they had woken a few moments before she and the faux-Inuyasha had passed through the illusionary well to the past. The young miko also doesn't know that her ordeal has had a minute--but lasting--effect on their host.

Shinku stares at the small group, the faint beginnings of remorse stirring somewhere around his left, 3rd rib. It takes almost a minute of complete silence before it dawns on him that his hand is still in the air, his fingers locked in the end position from his snap. It takes him another minute to realize that he is in shock.

The forest demon had seen awful things in the illusions he produced. The death of a child or parent; the loss of a home, crops, even entire villages; betrayal by a beloved; even the destruction of an entire civilization once. But never before had the vision of one of his subjects made him question his methods. Kagome would be the first--but not the last. Her shattered visage would start a chain reaction that would eventually lead to Shinku's complete denouncement of his ghastly green thumb. Though that wouldn't be for many years to come.

Had she known the effect she would have on the demon, Kagome might still have chosen to enter the _Mori no Shinjutso to Uso_, regardless of her own situation. 'If he realizes what harm he causing to others, then it would be worth it,' she might have said. Unfortunately, the young woman would not be doing anything, much less talking, for some while.

Shinku slowly lets his arm drop to his side, acutely aware that he no longer exists for this small band of travelers. They weren't paying him one bit of attention, the girl and the small demons sobbing into their kimonos, while the short-haired boy seemed to be struggling not to be sick on the padded floor. The other boy, the one holding Kagome, was simply muttering into her hair, rocking her slowly back and forth. He appeared to be beyond anguish, as only faint sounds of choking and an occasional, muffled syllablecould be heard coming from him.

None of the group seemed to realize that they were still in an illusion, or, they didn't care. It was quite apparent to Shinku that there was something more going on than what he could see, besides the collapse of the girl. Which wasn't normal. He'd never had someone lose consciousness before.

"Not again....not again...."

The youkai focuses his grey eyes on Inuyasha, the boy's softly-spoken whispers carrying just enough this time to be overheard. Their meaning hits Shinku like a bull-demon.

_Again? This has happened....before? _

The green-haired demon feels a frown pulling on his carefully neutral features as he lets his gaze drift to the girl. He stifles a shudder.

He should have seen it. He should have already known. But Shinku had ignored the warning bells his instincts had sounded in favor of completing the girl's illusion. He had been too interested in gaining the emotional fodder from her and the half-demon; they had been too tempting to refuse. And now the visions had cost her.

The miko was beginning to resemble her would-be hanyou lover. Her hair was no longer ebony-black, but was shifting through increasingly lightening shades of brown, then blonde; there were already silver and white strands showing in her bangs. Her skin was also changing, losing the tan built from endless days of traveling, and looking more and more like the elderly woman her soul thought it was. Blue and purple discolorations were forming under and around her eyes and on the tips of her fingers and toes, and Shinku was sure that if she had been able to open her eyes, only a dark void would be staring back at him.

Of course, none of this was technically real. Everyone would still look the same when Shinku finally released them from this white room, though they all seemed to be about five decades older at the moment. But their minds and their souls had been tormented, and would not be so easily repaired as their physical appearance. A simple awakening would not be forthcoming.

The demon hesitantly clears his throat, then releases a soft sigh when no one looks to him. He hadn't expected anything different, but it was still a blow to his pride. No one likes to be ignored.

With a soft mumble of gratitude (no one responds to this either), the forest demon snaps his fingers again, dissolving the room and it's occupants. For a moment, time seems to stop, suspending the individuals in a world of blinding white, before grim reality crashes them back to earth.

"Kagome?!"

Inuyasha--now back to his normal, hanyou self--struggles briefly against the vines binding him to his tree, before they release him in a blur of green and brown. He's beside the miko in an instant, slashing at the tangle of pulpy ropes, which waste no time in removing themselves from the imminent danger of his claws. The boy only vaguely registers the carefulness of the order in which the vines move, allowing him to grasp the girl before she falls to the ground. He realizes this because of the four soft _thuds_ that sound in the darkness behind him.

"It is too late, now, to leave. You will be safe in here until morning. If you decide to stay."

Their host departs with these words, waving his hand once over the solemn companions, so that a mass of seemingly-impenetrable branches, trunks, and vines closes over their heads. The only light in the darkness is some kind of luminescent moss, woven into the cage itself, so that a soft, greenish wave seems to hover, unaided, above them. The temperature inside the living igloo quickly rises to a comfortable level.

"Should we stay?"

The monk and the slayer slowly look down at the kitsune at their feet, who now seems to have regreted the fact that he had spoken, though his words were barely a whisper. Shippo looks over to the other pair, trying--and failing--to stem his tears as he sees Inuyasha again cradling Kagome, his back to them. A soft moan floats over the still air between them.

Sango and Miroku look to each other, understanding passing between them without speaking a word. Not that there was much to say. Clarity had come to them rather quickly.

Staying wasn't the issue. The question was: How long would they be there?

**OoooOoooO**

It wasn't nearly as dark at it had been the first time.

The blackness was less oppressing this time, and more....smoky. Yes, that was it. It was like being in a fog. At night.

Kagome glances around, frowning. She was in the same place; she was sure of it. On the other hand, she was also aware that she was _aware_, this time. Like a dream that you know is a dream. Kagome knew where she was, but that thought didn't give her any comfort.

_I survived it...__**again**__... But...am I being punished? What could I have done to deserve this torture? How many times must my heart be shattered? My hope...utterly destroyed?_

The miko wraps her arms around her knees--figuratively, at least--and tries to control the tormented agony that was plaguing her psyche. Here all was relative calm, like the eye in the center of the storm. But beyond the darkness, at the edge of this small, still room, she was falling to pieces.

The shadows moved restlessly, just beyond where she could 'see,' if she could truly say that, what with the essential lack of any kind of light. But she could sense them waiting for her--her own internal demons. Biding their time until she cracked. Kagome could feel it coming. She was losing her mind.

That thought almost makes her panic. But there was something about this place. This peaceful, darkened space was her safe haven, she knew, somehow, and that simple notion calms her. It was like Shinku's white room. It was the place where her last vestige of sanity had fled, in order to save her broken mind and heart. It was a hideaway; a sanctuary. A place for her to shelter until she could pick up the crumbling pieces of her soul.

And she wasn't alone.

All was still and silent in the dark room, but she wasn't alone, she was sure. The closest sensation she could attribute to it would have been touch, though it was more like her 6th sense was picking it up. A comforting warmth at her back, or the ghost of a breath against her skin. A knot in the pit of her stomach. Or her heart.

He was here, somehow. He was reaching her, though she doubted that he knew it. But he wasn't letting her go, which she knew would be so easy for herself to do. She could drift away into the darkness, and stop forever the pain that was coming, but which was momentarily out of reach. She could--should, even--but doesn't.

Though Kagome knew what likely awaited her--what she would have to go through--she doesn't give in to the shadows of hopelessness and despair. She had to have the strength to return. She would find it, somehow. She would overcome the darkness. If not on her own, then at least with him. He was already here. He would be her guide and her solace. And he would help her return. To him.

But if Kagome knew what awaited her return, she might have chosen to simply drift away....

**OoooOoooO**

It took more than a little prodding in order to get Inuyasha to move the next morning. But the rest of the group couldn't stand to stay in that small clearing any longer. It was bad enough that they wouldn't be able to reach the other side of the demon's forest for several days, but to stay at the scene of the heinous crimes done against them? Not likely.

However, getting their half-demon to move was almost an impossible feat. He seemed to have taken on the characteristics of a raging alcoholic, but without any of the perks of having actually drunk anything. Kagome, of course, was his sake.

The hanyou steadfastly refused to release her. He was clinging to the girl as if she might fade into nothingness if he so much as moved a finger from her. The boy had only changed positions once, and that was to switch from his knees into a sitting position, but otherwise, he hadn't moved from his spot. He was often heard uttering low, threatening growls, sometimes randomly, when no one was even close to him. But he had yet to even really look at his friends. Sango was seriously worried about him accidentally suffocating the miko, though it was obvious that Kagome wasn't.

If the others had put the clues together correctly--or had even just been paying attention--then the girl had not only survived her illusions, but had actually _lived_ through them once already. From her appearance in Shinku's waiting room, the miko had only narrowly avoided dying outright from her experiences. Miroku had voiced the opinion that if she recovered, Kagome would likely never be the same girl they had known. How many times could one's soul be decimated, and yet still have the inclination to put it back together? It was no wonder that she was virtually in a coma. It was also no shock to see Inuyasha hovering over her.

It was thought by the others that he hadn't slept at all the previous night, though this wasn't a great surprise, considering the situation. The half-demon would speak to no one except her, sometimes mumbling incomprehensible gibberish, though he obviously got no response. It was as if the others were figments of his imagination, or dreams, instead of reality. The truly worrying thing, however, was not his lack of response to them, but the expression in his eyes.

Inuyasha's golden orbs had taken on the pale, deadened look that comes over a person when they have lost more than they can stand, or seen things they had never imagined, though his expression seemed nothing more than impassive. Kagome was the only one that existed for him, and it appeared to them as if Inuyasha was hanging on to a thread of life himself, just by seeing her still alive and breathing.

If they only knew...

**OoooOoooO**

Kilala had become the unofficial leader and protector of the group. She had suffered with the others, but the fire-cat had been exposed to the least amount of sorrow, and had been around long enough to know how to deal with what she had seen. As a result, she was the least affected by what had happened. Though he had seen the same things as the nekomata, Shippo was too young and scared for his friends to do anything more useful than sit astride the feline and send worrying glances over his shoulder at the rest of the group while they traveled.

The friends were still in the forest. Shinku appeared to have taken pity on them, or perhaps disinterest, and had therefore not been seen since the night he had left them. But nothing bigger than a sparrow bothered them as they made their way through the Forest of Truth and Lies, which made them wonder if the demon was watching over them. Not that they truly gave a damn.

Sango and Miroku had been having periods of emotional tormoil that sometimes lasted for hours, and resulted in the band of travelers stopping after only a short while of walking. Talking was almost non-existent, and in whispers when it was deemed necessary. The monk and slayer only looked at one another, or the pair trailing behind them, when a break in their misery allowed a small part of their conscious minds to come back to the present and ponder their circumstances. It seemed impossible to the two that what had happened had actually happened. Or...had it?

Kagome certainly seemed to believe that it had; otherwise, she was the finest thespian and most despicable, evil person that Japan had ever seen. As neither of these personas applied to their miko, then it must be true that she and Inuyasha had been together, at some time; that she had lost her spiritual powers as a result; that Kaede and Miroku had sent the girl back to her time to undo what had been done; that Inuyasha could not, now, remember anything happening; and that Kagome was currently in such a deep depression over the impossibility of her and Inuyasha being together, that her friends worried about whether she would even wake up to try a new, but unwanted, path. Would Kagome think life was worth living if she was prevented from having the one person she wanted most?

Inuyasha didn't seem to care either way. As long as he held her close, and she kept breathing-- kept (literally, if not truly) living--then he was content to continue on. All else was immaterial. Naraku could have shown up in a bikini, started spouting poetry and confessing his love of Italian cuisine, and begun doing the Macarena, and the half-demon wouldn't have noticed.

Kilala had finally gotten him to leave Shinku's small clearing by stealing Kagome's two jewel shards from under his nose. It had taken the boy a few seconds to follow the trail of the girl's scent away from her and to the bottle dangling from the cat's mouth. His biggest reaction was a faint sneer, and that was because he was being forced to stand and move. In his mind, the shards in themselves didn't matter anymore. But because they belonged to the woman in his arms, and she would--eventually--awaken and need them to complete the Jewel, then he would follow his friends.

Inuyasha didn't think any further ahead than that. He might not get up if he did.

**OoooOoooO**

"Her color is starting to come back."

The monk glances up from the stew he hadn't been eating, staring at the pair opposite him in silence. He glances back down at his food.

"Perhaps."

Sango waits for an additional comment, but Miroku just sets his bowl on the ground and turns to stare at his right hand. He had been doing that quite alot lately.

The slayer releases a slow sigh before setting her own bowl down and moving to sit beside the monk. She watches him flex his fingers a few times, the prayer beads _tinkling_ softly against one another, then takes his hand between both of hers and raises it to her lips, kissing the backs of his knuckles. Miroku frowns.

"Don't give me that look," the girl says, before the boy can speak. "I know what you're thinking. Just like you know what I'm thinking when I......when I watch Shippo for too long."

Sango lets her words trail off softly, turning a somber gaze on the fox in question, who was currently asleep on Kilala's two tails. The neko seems to sense her glance, and turns to stare intensely at her mistress and the priest for a few moments, before looking around to the group's other pair. The slayer follows the cat's gaze, sighing again before turning back to her fiancé.

"But you have to move on from this, Miroku. We all do," she whispers, resisting the urge to glance across the fire again. Sango continues when the monk doesn't respond. "Remember that you told me they were only illusions. They are what we _hope _will or will not happen. Are you going to ignore your own counsel and wallow in doubt and self-pity? Or do you just think I'm that incompetent?"

Miroku's mouth drops open as he finally raises his gaze to the woman at his side, who now looks as if she's struggling not to be furious with him, despite the sadness behind her eyes. She's still holding his hand, though, which gives him the courage to speak. It's the most he'll have said more than two days. It's the most Sango has said, too.

"No, Sango! Of course I don't think that! It's just..."

Miroku hesitates, searching the girl's gaze, hoping that what he says next won't offend her any further. He's encouraged by the curiosity staring back at him.

"B...but...it's ...men...we...."

The boy pauses a moment, getting his thoughts together, then tries again. It didn't often happen that the monk could not find the right words, but besides being troubled and severely depressed, the illusions he had lived through had also left him feeling unsure and hesitant. It was taking a large effort on his part just to be honest and open, as he was sure it had been for Sango.

"We..._men_... It is our responsibility to...protect...what is ours. To keep safe what we care for. Do not be upset with me, dearest," he adds, softly, when Sango's expression begins to echo the look she got when he would grope her. "You feel the same about Kohaku, do you not? As the eldest sibling? You cannot tell me that you will ever be free of that instinct, even when he is grown."

Miroku feels somewhat of a cad for bringing up the girl's brother, but it was a perfect analogy, and he needed to make his point for her to understand. The monk's trouble--and Sango's as well--was not that he didn't _want_ to move on from their experience, but that he couldn't easily forget the pain and despair evoked during it. And because he couldn't forget, he dwelled on the future and what it might hold. The uncertainty of not knowing if his biggest fear would come true, or if his greatest desire would not, simply brought back the pain and despair and began the cycle again.

Sango's anger at the boy's previous statement slowly dissipates, but she says nothing in response to his mention of Kohaku. It was a measure of the gravity of the situation that she agreed with Miroku's idea that she needed protecting, despite the fact that she rebelled against it. She could understand his desire to watch over her, even though she was perfectly capable of taking care of herself.

"It is a curse, there is no mistake. But it has been useful. I would..._will_...be.....less effective without it."

The slayer drops her eyes to the hand still held between the two of hers, feeling the frown pulling on her lips. The loss of the Wind Tunnel would probably leave Miroku feeling vulnerable for months, despite his other abilities. It was no wonder that he couldn't keep his mind off the possibility, especially given that he had already 'seen' how his life could be without it.

"I see. So you're saying, 'Easier said than done' ?"

Sango gives the boy beside her a unhappy smile, wavers a moment before committing, then leans her head against the monk's shoulder. Miroku rests his cheek against her hair.

"Yes....love," he murmurs, surprised but pleased at the faint swooping sensation behind his ribs, just by saying that simple word. It was encouraging to know that his broken heart could still feel something so warming. "And I believe you already know that. I just need....a bit longer to work through things."

Sango nods, understanding what he means. His mind and soul were more fragile than her own, because he had to witness everyone's illusions after being broken by his own. Miroku was telling her that he required more time to repair the damage done by Shinku's visions.

The twosome sits in dejected, but quietly hopeful silence, watching the flames on their fire slowly dying, their only half-eaten stew forgotten. Only the soft humming of insects, an occasional bird call, and a rare howling in the distance breaks the stillness. Miroku is just thinking that he might as well try to get a few hours sleep--even though it's the middle of the day--when a soft, sorrowful moan floats across the open space.

"What do you think is going on with him?"

The young woman's voice is very soft when she speaks, as if she doesn't want the topic of her question to overhear. As he had yet to respond to any of their words though, it wasn't really necessary.

Miroku is silent for several minutes, allowing his gaze to wander to the other side of the campsite. Inuyasha had finally succumbed to sleep, having gone without it for more than 72 hours. He was the reason they had stopped in the middle of the day. The half-demon had stepped over the tree trunk that had fallen in their path, set Kagome down gently beside it, then collapsed beside her. He hadn't moved since, and still refused to let go of her. One arm was currently draped over her stomach.

"I...do not know. He has...kept something from us. "

Sango nods again, tightening her fingers on the monk's hand. "He shouldn't be this bad."

Miroku nods in answer, thinking, lost as to what could be going on with their half-demon friend. It slowly occurs to him what they were missing.

"We do not know what happened when she went back. The second time. Kagome had to relive those days in her world."

"They haven't told us what truly happened. We only thought Kagome was...sick."

Miroku doesn't know whether to smile or frown at the irritation in the slayer's voice. It was obvious, now, that their friends had been lying. And even though they understood why, and agreed with the miko that it wasn't something that they would want anyone else to know, it was still somewhat upsetting that Kagome and Inuyasha hadn't trusted them with the truth.

"I believe that I could have lived without knowing of this development," he finally says, feeling the pieces of his heart ache for his friends. If it wasn't obvious before, then it definitely was now, that the pair wanted to be together. And the disheartening truth was that they could not.

"Kagome would give up her miko powers for him. I know she would."

Miroku immediately grimaces, but takes a few moments to respond to the slayer's soft announcement. He agreed. Kagome wouldn't give them a second thought, even now, with her advancement. She hadn't the first time; wouldn't have even questioned losing them, except for the fact that she needed her powers to find shards of the Sacred Jewel, and to help the group defeat Naraku. The problem now was Inuyasha.

"He won't let her. They're a part of Kagome. It would be like asking him to become a full human. Or demon," he adds, now whispering. "Or like asking one of us to give up an arm or a leg. He won't ask her to sacrifice a part of herself for him."

"Even if she wants to?" Sango whispers, removing one hand from the boy's and wrapping it around Miroku's waist, giving him a light squeeze. The monk sighs, running his free hand over his face.

"He would always feel guilty for taking something from her, even if it was her choice. Even moreso if something happened--if she was attacked, for example--and her powers would have saved her."

"But...I don't think it matters to Kagome," Sango argues, still whispering. "She...she wants to be with him. It will hurt her...them...more if he doesn't let her than if he does."

The monk is again silent, contemplating the immobile pair opposite them. He finally releases a slow, discouraged sigh.

"Perhaps. But it is something which they will have to work out a solution to on their own. There is nothing we can do to help them."

**OoooOoooO**

"Sunlight!"

The monk and the demon slayer stop a few feet behind the kitsune and nekomata, raising their hands to block the rays filtering down to them. It had been gloomy and overcast the entire time they had been traveling through the forest. They knew the sun was shining down at them, but this was the first time in more than 3 days that they had seen any proof that it still existed.

"Hooray! I was wondering if I was going to have to learn to see in the dark like you, Kilala."

The cat-demon releases a low growl, which Shippo decides to interpret as laughter. It was true that children bounced back more quickly from trying experiences than adults. The fox had spent most of his time riding Kilala over the past days, and coloring much more than usual, rather than speaking to anyone. But he was regaining his positive attitude much faster than any of his friends. His smile, however, falls as the half-demon passes him, still carrying his precious cargo. The fox gets a shock when Inuyasha doesn't simply sit down, but continues walking into the lightening trees.

"This is new," he says, turning to the stunned glances coming from the two behind him.

"Has he had enough time, you think?" Sango asks, as they begin to follow the hanyou. Miroku frowns.

"I....do not know," he says, his gaze narrowed on the red-clad figure. "Maybe he thinks it will help Kagome. She does love the sun, remember."

The others turn thoughtful eyes to the silver-haired boy, wondering if that was indeed the reason that Inuyasha had walked ahead of the rest of them. He had not done so since before the forest-demon, and had barely even kept up after them. If he was taking the initiative, then it was definitely a good sign.

The group continues on for close to an hour, the half-demon leading the way, until a blind curve on the trail reveals the end of the forest and the beginning of a wide plain. The group can see few sparse copses dotting the landscape, and Shippo is sure that he can see smoke rising in the distance, but nothing else seems to exist across the open space.

"We should stop here. The sun's starting to go down. We will be vulnerable if we leave the forest," Miroku says, watching as Inuyasha sets Kagome gently at the edge of the path. It was nothing they hadn't seen before.

They hadn't, however, ever seen the boy set Kagome's yellow backpack on the ground and remove her sleeping bag from it. Or lay it on the ground beside the girl, unzip it, and gently maneuver her inside it. Or then stand, glance quickly around at them, and disappear into the underbrush.

* * *

Mwah...ha...ha....!!!!! Ok, I'm not really that evil. (Erm....well, I don't _try_ to be...) This chap just got way too long, so I decided to split it into two. So just hit that little arrow at the bottom of the page and you can read on to find out what happens... *giggles, then runs away* ;)


	24. Vision

Hrm....not a lot to say... :)

* * *

"Inuyasha!"

Miroku can hear the panic behind Sango's yell as she drops her Hiraikotsu and dashes over to her friend, checking for a pulse as if she thinks the miko might drop dead right this second. The slayer stands after a minute, shaking, but looking somewhat relieved.

"No change. I don't think she's noticed that he's not here."

"Why would she? I don't notice anything when _I'm _sleeping."

The adults glance over to the kitsune, who's head was tilted to the side, his young features looking slightly lost. Neither Miroku nor Sango are sure how to respond to either the fox's question or his statement. They had convinced Shippo that Kagome was in a very deep sleep because that was the only way she could deal with her illusion. It was the closest approximation that Sango was willing to admit to, as they couldn't get Inuyasha to respond to ask what he thought.

It had slowly dawned on them that something similar to their situation now might have happened before, the second time that Kagome went to the future. And that was the reason that Inuyasha had stayed for so long in her time. To help the girl cope with something he did not yet know about. But, as they couldn't verify their suspicions--or do anything about them even if they were true--the pair was forced to tell half-truths to their young charge. It was easier for him to understand that way.

They couldn't tell Shippo that the only reason they thought they hadn't yet lost the priestess was because of her hanyou lover. Inuyasha had been attached to the girl's hip ever since Shinku had freed them, and it was plain to the monk and slayer that he was keeping Kagome from leaving them.

The others didn't know how he could be reaching her, but it was plain that he was. Love--though obviously there--was a part of it, but not all. The pair shared some other connection, even though it couldn't be seen, or even properly put into words.

So it was quite logical to the monk and slayer that Kagome might somehow register his absence, even in her current state. From her lack of reaction, however, it appeared that they were wrong about everything, and were in great danger of losing the miko if she didn't wake up soon.

The odd thing--though Miroku and Sango didn't know it--was that they weren't wrong.

And Kagome was going to wake up to prove it.

**OoooOoooO**

_He's....gone...._

Kagome fights down her panic, and the million reasons that had come with it as to why she could no longer feel Inuyasha's presence.

She was nearly there. She was nearly ready to face everything again: her friends, her future, her fate. She just needed a little more time.

But apparently Inuyasha couldn't hang on any longer. Kagome had felt their connection--whatever it was--solidly for the past.....well, the past while. Time didn't really exist in her room. It had just always been there.

But she had noticed that the bond between she and the half-demon had been varying in strength. It was steady in the beginning, and had slowly been weakening as the girl struggled to gain control of her mind and heart. And now it was almost gone. Only a tendril seemed to still exist. To still be hanging on.

And that's how Kagome knew that something was desperately wrong.

Inuyasha would not willing abandon her. She knew this. He had never abandoned he, therefore, something must be happening in the real world that meant he had to leave. In which case, he most likely needed her. If not her powers, then at least her support. And the knowledge that she was still with him, and now awake, would surely boost his spirits.

Right?

**OoooOoooO**

"Still no change?"

"No. She just....breathes," Sango whispers, before wiping a sleeve across her eyes. "She can't go on like this. We can get her to drink water, but she's not eating. I can tell she's lost weight. Too much of it."

The monk glances to their 'sleeping' companion, then holds a hand out to the tajiya. Sango takes it without question, and sits down next to her fiancé, leaning into the embrace when he puts that arm around her shoulders.

"I think....when he comes back...that Inuyasha should take Kagome home. I know he wants to, but...we cannot help her here," the monk says, very quietly, as if he might somehow be blaspheming. "Someone in her own time might be able to."

The slayer is silent for a moment before she nods, leaving her swollen and reddened eyes facing the grass beneath her feet. It was amazing how dull it looked just now, before sunset, when her emotions were so raw and exposed. She had always enjoyed walking barefoot through the lush green softness on evenings like this. The towering trees behind, the open sea of tall, swaying grasses before them. It would have been a lovely sunset under any other circumstances...

"Won't you please wake, Kagome?" the girl says, somewhat commandingly, as if she has suddenly developed the ability to will people into doing as she wishes. The tajiya looks through her bangs at her friend, as if afraid that she just might follow her order. "We...we miss...."

Sango stifles a scream as the dark-haired girl suddenly arches her back, her arms and legs holding her off the ground for a few seconds before she sags back into her sleeping bag. Miroku is painfuly aware of what is possibly another hole in his body, made by the claws belonging to the woman at his side.

"Kagome?" he manages to ask, extracting himself from the panicky woman, gritting his teeth through the pain as he breathes. That was going to leave a mark, even through his robes.

The pair watches in awed and apprehensive silence as the their miko simply continues to breath shallowly, then slowly struggles upright, an obviously pained expression crossing her thinned features. The two manage to hold in their gasps as Kagome opens her eyes, and an almost blank hollow stares back at them. It was like looking into nothingness.

"Wh...where...?" the girl asks, her vacant eyes sweeping the campsite once before she struggles to her knees. Miroku makes a movement to help her (Sango is still frozen in shock), but Kagome jerkily shakes her head.

"No...first...where?" she asks again, her voice gravely from disuse. It also sounds distinctly higher than a few moments ago.

"Th...that way," the monk finally says, pointing a few feet to the miko's left, where the hanyou had disappeared a few hours ago. Miroku silently thanks Kami that Shippo had gone with Kilala to fetch water. As a practicing monk, it was rare that he himself was actually disturbed by what he saw. But watching the young miko struggle to her feet and stumble in the direction Inuyasha had taken was heartbreaking and disconcerting. And he wasn't even speaking about her appearance. That was possibly even worse.

"But..."

Kagome doesn't respond to the soft impedement from the other girl, and only vaguely acknowledges it by pausing at the edge of the path before she continues on, slowly disppearing into the fading light.

"Let her go," Miroku says, when Sango makes a twitchy forward movement to follow. The girl turns a pleading glare on him. "They need time alone."

"But..."

Sango breaks off, turning back to the indentations in the brush that were already righting themselves. She chokes on a sob. Miroku pulls her back into his arms and places a gentle kiss on her forehead.

"I know."

**OoooOoooO**

Kagome stumbles through the deepening twilight, pausing more often than not, and falling several times. But she ignores the dirt and scratches rising on her arms and legs and bare feet, and the rips showing up in her clothes. If anyone had seen the girl, they might have questioned whether she even noticed, so intently was she staring into the trees standing before her.

As it was, not even a ground squirrel interferred with her slow pace. Not that the miko could have done anything about it if the small mammal tried anything. Kagome was using every ounce of her strength just to stay upright and put one foot in front of the other, and that was not going so easily as it should have. But the girl encountered nothing larger than an aspiring firefly, out much earlier than it's fellows, which, strangely, turned away at the last moment, avoiding the young woman. Perhaps even it sensed the impending struggle.

The girl finally breaks the tree line, the sun still holding it's head above the horizon, though it had felt to Kagome as if she had been walking for years. She stops for several moments, breathing hard, as if she's just been running for her life. And maybe she had been.

He was there, right in front of her, his back toward the forest from which she had just emerged. His was sitting at the edge of a small outcropping, though some of the trees hadn't been as brave as they had imagined themselves to be, and had lost the battle with nature some time ago. They formed a sort of natural aside, and he was sitting in the middle of them. His head was bowed, his silver hair shimmering in the dying light. He was motionless, silent, and almost seemed to be trying to blend in with the scenery. For the first time since she had woken up, Kagome feels a pang of dread.

This was wrong. He should not be here. He shouldn't be...alone.

She had been frightened when she had not found him in the campsite. She had assumed that he was in some kind of danger, and woken from her 'sleep' as a result. But as it was immediately plain that their friends were safe, something else must have happened to the boy to make him leave.

No explanation of any kind offers itself to her confusion and terror. It looked as if he had simply vanished into the forest like always, leaving her with their friends. Normal behavior. But they were not involved in anything that might resemble normal circumstances.

Kagome knew that she had woken too early. She was already doing everything in her power just to stay in the present. That was not made any easier by the fact that she had been unconscious for so many days, and the strain on her body was starting to overpower her will to remain awake. She was so easily broken right now...

Inuyasha had to know that she couldn't survive this without him. But...why had he left her? Why bother to stay in the first place, if he was eventually going to give her up?

Kagome manages to keep the emptiness at bay for another few minutes, and leaves the shelter of the trees, going more slowly because of her lack of energy, coordination, and support. A dizzy spell now would not be saved by a conveniently-placed branch.

The young priestess stumbles forward, hugging her body to dispel the increasing chill in the air, forcing herself toward the boy. Simply being in his presence again seemed to be giving the girl a measure of resolve and strength, though, oddly, her overall sense of anxiety and fear was increasing, as she gets closer to the half-demon.

Kagome realizes before she reaches him that Inuyasha's soul has not been healing since their time with the forest demon. His frame is racked with minute tremors, and despite his attempts to control them, the miko could still see him shaking, even through her tunneled vision. His posture is drawn in upon itself, as if he was attempting to vanish inside his fire-rat robes, and what she could sense of his demonic aura (which was, strangely, almost non-existent, though Kagome is surprised that she still has the ability to feel it, given the circumstances) was still pained and full of despair. The girl feels her own, broken spirit cry in agony as she circles the log he was sitting before and lets her gaze rest on his face.

There was no doubt in her fractured mind that she was losing him, or perhaps already had, though she hadn't a clue how or why. He was staring straight ahead, at nothing, his eyes half-closed and sunken-in, with irises that were no longer golden-amber. They were now a dull, bland, sickly shade of yellow-brown, and seemingly sightless. His face was drawn, lined, grey in most places, and purple-blue in others. And though she was now standing right in front of him, he still didn't seem to see her. He was looking right through her, as if she didn't exist.

Kagome finds her eyes damp from unshed tears, but none show themselves on her pale cheeks. She would have found that morbidly ironic if she had thought about it. She had not been able to stop herself from crying since that night more than month ago. Perhaps she had finally used them all up.

The girl somehow manages to find the voice in her throat, behind the dry burning, and it still feels lost and weak and pitiful, having not been used in so long. She summons the half-demon's name to her lips, the perpetual hope that resided in a secret place in her heart going out with it to find the boy and bring him back, though she didn't know it. It still only sounded like a frail squeak to her ears.

"Inu...ya...sha...?"

The boy instantly reacts to her soft word, though his response would seem miniscule, almost non-existent, if compared to a normal person. One who wasn't suffering.

Inuyasha raises his head, so that he's now looking into the girl's dark brown eyes. His hands slide off of his head, just a bit, so that tendrils of silver-white hair escape his fingers and form a halo around his drawn face. He blinks once at her, his eyes clearing for a moment before he speaks in a rasp.

"Go back to them, Kagome."

The girl feels her soul falling back into the shards that she had so carefully pieced together, when the boy looks away, but not before the emptiness returns to his eyes. He drops his head so that it hangs between his knees, his hands still in his hair, crushing his ears. Kagome hears a choked cough, then silence.

The miko doesn't move, too afraid of what the hanyou's behavior might mean. Was he giving up on her? Why? How could he? What had happened after she had fallen asleep?

He obviously didn't want to speak to her; he might be hurting too much to do so--like she had been, for awhile. But Kagome couldn't leave without finding out what was wrong with him. It was a slim possibility, but perhaps she could help; he had done the same for her. Besides being the right thing to do for her friend, this was _Inuyasha_. She would do anything for him. Even if it meant ignoring her own pain.

"I...nu...?"

"I said, 'Go back'!"

Kagome takes a step away, stumbling over her feet and almost falling, at the boy's sudden outburst and raging expression. She doesn't know that her own face is set in shock, the adrenaline igniting her heart so that a flush appears on her cheeks a moment later. She can only gape in disbelief as she rights herself, at the boy silently snarling at her. What in the world was going on?

Inuyasha glares at her for another second before again falling into his depression, which is now tinged with remorse. He seems even smaller than before, his robes almost hanging off him as he slumps against his log. Kagome suddenly wonders when was the last time he had eaten. Her own stomach growls faintly as the hanyou speaks again.

"_Please_...just...go..."

As her temporary rush quickly fades, leaving the girl feeling even more exhausted than she already was, she finds herself shaking her head, though faintly. Inuyasha would not willingly leave her; had not, now, except that something was desperately wrong. She could not live with herself if she left him when he needed her.

The boy utters a resigned sigh, again placing his head into his hands. This time Kagome can hear the sobs.

"You...have to go... I'll...be back in the morning. But...tonight..."

"But... Inu..."

Kagome's voice cracks, and at that moment she becomes aware of the depth of pain in both of their voices. It scares her. It sounded to the miko as if Inuyasha has already given up hope, and that she was very near to that point. Like everything now was just for show.

But that didn't make any sense; she didn't understand what was going on. Was he keeping something from her, as she suspected? And if it was so momentous that he had run off alone, and was now in such a deep state of despair that he was openly crying, why wouldn't he tell her? Kagome stands her ground and continues shaking her head.

"_Please_...."

"_But....why_...?"

"Because it's not going to happen!"

The girl takes another step back as Inuyasha yells, what blood was left running quickly out of her face and limbs and pooling somewhere around her navel. He couldn't possibly mean what she thought he meant. She tries to shake her head again, but finds that her muscles have stopped cooperating. Inuyasha speaks again when she makes a vague attempt to speak and only succeeds in opening her mouth before being overwhelmed.

"Us! Us, Kagome, us! The Kami forbid it, we aren't gonna happen!"

The miko feels a lightening sensation in her head, then opens her eyes to see the first stars beginning to show overhead, the fading orange glow only a sliver of light to the West. A few seconds pass in silence and trepidation before a red and silver shape fills what is left of the girl's vision.

"Kagome...!? Dammit...."

The girl finds her world suddenly righted again as Inuyasha lifts her, feeling her forehead and neck, his face an open mask of panic and pain.

"Don't...you leave again, dammit! Wake up!"

Kagome isn't aware that she has closed her eyes, but slowly forces her lids to flutter and part when the boy all but yells in her ear, while simultaneously shaking her, before he thinks better of it and stops. She feels him release a heavy, relieved sigh as her gaze focuses on his face. She watches in silent torment as the torment returns to his expression.

"Please...just...go back," he whispers, struggling to speak, his palm resting against her cheek. Kagome can see the anguish behind his dull eyes. "I can't...not now. You can't..."

Inuyasha shakes his head, stopping with his face away from her. He still refused to tell her what was hurting him; denied her the chance to help find an answer to this unknown problem. He wanted her to return to their friends, and leave him to face this torture on his own.

Kagome can't accept this. If Inuyasha was now convinced that they couldn't be together--after resolutely proclaiming the exact opposite only a few days ago--then she sure as hell wanted to know why before giving up. She wasn't about to let him off that easily. She'd been through too much to simply give him up without a fight.

"Why?" she says, the whisper barely registering in her own ears. Kagome isn't sure how she has managed to find it, but is thankful that her voice decided to make an appearance, however weak it still might sound.

Inuyasha doesn't respond at first, choosing to stare into the twilight for several minutes before looking back at her. She sees more anguish flash across his dull expression.

"Damn those...beautiful eyes of yours."

Inuyasha drops his head so that it rests against the girl's, then pulls in his arms, holding her tightly against him, trying to stop his shaking. The hanyou's words weren't meant to be funny, or teasing, or complementary. Now wasn't the time for jokes. Inuyasha was saying that he was going to tell her what was wrong, as much as he might not want to. He had never really been able to deny the miko anything she asked of him.

"The....that day," he starts, the strained syllables ominous against her cool skin, "on...the couch. I...I....had a....dream." Inuyasha stops, then continues forcibly. "But I...I only thought it was a dream. I... Shinku...made me realize... that... it was something else."

Kagome shivers as the chill in the air seems to deepen. Whatever the half-demon was about to tell her was not even remotely close to good. She had thought that they might be able to work through it, or around it, but from the desperation in Inuyasha's tone...

"You... I helped you find...something. Something you had lost," he says, his voice finally cracking. Kagome can hear the muffled sobs now, and struggles to keep herself from falling into his despair, though it was taking all of her willpower to do so. "My...fear... You... and...and...the boy..."

Kagome feels his shudder vibrate through her, but only barely registers it. The horror of what Inuyasha had just told her was overpowering everything else.

"N...no. I...I...couldn't....," she says, making a desperate attempt to shake her head, prevented from doing so by the boy's arms. Kagome doesn't realize that her barely checked tears have finally made a bid for freedom.

"But you do!" Inuyasha snaps, pulling away from the miko, his eyes wild with denial. "Shinku didn't know what he was showing me! He didn't know that it wasn't just a dream! I'd never imagined it like that before!"

Kagome isn't sure how she stays upright without his support, but she locks her arms into place so that she can continue to watch the hanyou, her mouth open in horror, as Inuyasha jerkily slides away from her. He pauses with his hands on the ground, as if he was about to be ill, and continues to speak. He seemingly can't stop himself from the spouting the verbal garbage, now that he had started. It was apparent to the girl that he had been dwelling on his illusions ever since the forest demon had released them. And she hadn't been there for him. A bad sign if ever there was one.

"It was all wrong! Everytime before you were with Koga or that irritating male that goes to your school! But...the...boy...."

Kagome can't do anything more than shake her head, trying to deny the truth underlying his words. She wanted to insist that what he had seen while sleeping on her couch was simply that: a dream. But if that was true, then his illusion should have matched with his previously envisioned fear, and not the dream. Which was impossible to deny. Shinku had not been wrong about any of them, so why would Inuyasha be an exception? The boy's next words confirm that what he had seen really was a vision of her future.

"...I don't know...who he is... I'd never seen him before..."

The young woman feels the tiny bit of hope that was still hiding in the smallest part of her heart fade into nothingness. Dreams contained people you knew, or had at least seen. How could Inuyasha know the features of the young boy in his illusion--enough so that Shinku could reproduce him--without having seen him before?

"It's not me you're meant to be with, don't you see? Shinku couldn't have known!" Inuyasha says, turning to face her again. He wasn't trying to deny the awful truth anymore. In his mind, there was no way around it; they were not meant to be together, however much they might wish otherwise. Now Inuyasha was simply trying to vent his anguish. Kagome can't do anything to stop the tears flowing down her cheeks, but she can't look away as he continues to rave at her, his expression bordering on hysterical. "He was _human_! I...can't... I'm not... I'm only supposed to...help...you..."

The half-demon suddenly stops, pausing with his face and his eyes full of grief, and his body motionless, as if he was only just realizing everything that he had said. After a few seconds he seems to come back to himself and quickly stands, grabbing the girl under her arms and setting Kagome on her feet, shaking his head.

"No...more...," he says, his voice a whimper.

Kagome watches in dumbstruck horror as Inuyasha lets go of her and returns to his log, dropping onto the ground in front of it and burying his head against his knees. After a few seconds she hears the sobs floating over the still, dusky air.

The miko--for the first time since she had come through the well--feels utterly and completely alone in Inuyasha's world. The hanyou had accepted--however reluctantly--that their future's were not destined to be one and the same, and had left her to deal with the revelation in her own way. Kagome wanted to blame him; for giving up...for refusing to find another way. She wanted to rant and rave and scream that life wasn't fair, and that he was taking the easy road out by refusing to even share his grief with her.

But she couldn't. It was so plainly obvious that the half-demon was barely keeping his sanity, that Kagome wonders why he hadn't slipped into his own mind like she had. In one moment he had seen his worst fear and greatest desire, and in the next, the first had come true, and the second seemingly never would. The young woman would not question why Inuyasha would not consider another over herself. It was clear from his tormented words that he would not explain that decision tonight, if ever. The miko feels a stab somewhere in the space her heart had previously occupied. Inuyasha would not to do her what she was apparently fated to do to him.

Kagome turns, to make her way back toward the trees from which she had emerged. He had given up, and now she had, as well. There was nothing more to say.

The girl doesn't feel the grass beneath her feet, or bothers to dry the wetness on her cheeks, or tries to stop the painful sobs trying to escape from her burning throat. She also doesn't truly see anything before her, or notice the darkness finally falling around her. There was no point in any of those things. Stopping or acknowledging them would change nothing.

She barely makes it to the treeline before the emotions overwhelm her, and she sways on her feet, only staying upright by leaning against the nearest oak. Kagome was about to walk away from the man who's life she considered so intricately wound around her own that she honestly couldn't remember--or imagine--a time when they weren't together. She was about to leave the hanyou, alone, and somehow begin a life that didn't include him. She couldn't ask him to make that sacrifice. It would be too much.

But she would be damned if she left before she told him how she felt. She was sure that he knew--he had seen her illusion, after all, even if he was _that_ oblivious--but she had yet to tell him to his face. And she owed him that, at least. He had to know that he was now--and would always be--her first and only choice. The idea of another man...

Kagome braces herself against the tree, forcing her feet to turn once more, dispelling that thought before it makes her ill. She couldn't believe what she was being forced to do. It was wrong in so many ways that the miko thought she might be sick anyway, despite the fact that her stomach was empty.

The girl reflexively raises her free hand as she lifts her eyes back to the boy. A good thing.

Because her heart has just jumped into her throat, along with the hope that she thought had died several minutes ago.

Inuyasha had not moved. He was still sitting in front of his log, his head bent to his knees. The difference now was that his silver hair did not stand out like a beacon in the night.

His ebony locks blended virtually seamlessly with it.

* * *

Wow. Some parts of this got a bit deeper than I meant them to. Well, maybe it turned out all right anyway. Did we see that coming, I hope? Probably not...but I was giving clues all over the place, so maybe... I hope I didn't overly-confuse everybody, either... And I'm really not this mean. I'm working on the next chap right now. ;)


End file.
